Task 2 Article

 Tuberculosis – A Deadly Disease

 Tuberculosis (TB) is a grave illness that mainly affects the lungs caused by a type of bacteria. The disease spreads when an ill person coughs, sneezes, or sings in the presence of other people who may be healthy. Any such activity may put tiny droplets with germs into the air which can be transferred to the other person causing the illness. Tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

This deadly disease spreads easily in an indoor space when many people are together in a closed space or in a crowded area. People with weakened immune systems have a higher risk of catching tuberculosis than people with typical immune systems.

Drugs can treat tuberculosis but some forms of the bacteria no longer respond well to treatments. When tuberculosis (TB) germs survive and multiply in the lungs, it is called a TB infection. A TB infection may be in one of three stages.

Primary infection

The first stage is called the primary infection. Immune system cells capture the germs. The immune system may completely destroy the germs and many may not show any symptoms. Some people may get flu-like symptoms, such as Low fever, Tiredness and Cough.

Latent TB infection

Primary infection is usually followed by the stage called latent TB infection where system cells build a wall around lung tissue with TB germs. The germs will not be able to do more harm if the immune system keeps them under control. But there is no surety that germs  may be finished. 

Active TB disease

Active TB disease happens when the immune system can't control an infection. Germs causing disease through the lungs and other parts of the body. Symptoms of the active TB disease in the lungs usually begin gradually and worsen over a few weeks. They may include Cough, Coughing up blood or mucus, Chest pain, Pain with breathing or coughing, fever, Chills, Night sweats, Weight loss, Not wanting to eat, Tiredness, Not feeling well in general.

Active TB disease outside the lungs 

TB infection can spread from the lungs to other parts of the body. This is called extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Symptoms vary depending on what part of the body is infected. Common symptoms may include Fever, Chills, Night sweats, Weight loss, Not wanting to eat, Tiredness, Not feeling well in general, Pain near the site of infection.

Active TB disease in the voice box is outside the lungs, but it has symptoms more like disease in the lungs. Common sites of active TB disease outside the lungs include Kidneys, Liver, Fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, Heart muscles, Genitals, Lymph nodes, Bones and joints, Skin, Walls of blood vessels, Voice box, also called larynx.

Active TB disease in children

1- to 12-year-olds. Younger children may have a fever that won't go away and they may have sudden weight loss.Also, a baby may have symptoms from swelling in the fluid around the brain or spinal cord which may lead to being sluggish or not active, vomiting, bulging soft spot on the head, poor reflexes.

Approach the hospital emergency if one has chest pain, sudden, severe headache, confusion,seizures, difficulty in breathing, coughing up blood,have blood in urine or stool.

People with active TB disease in the lungs or voice box can spread the disease. A person with a latent TB infection cannot pass the disease to other people. A person taking drugs to treat active TB disease usually can't pass the disease after 2 to 3 weeks of treatment.

Drug-resistant TB 

Some forms of the TB bacteria have become drug resistant over the years. This means that drugs that once cured the disease no longer work.This happens due to the naturally occurring genetic changes in bacteria. A genetic change in a bacterium may have some quality that makes it more likely to survive the attack of an antibiotic. If it does survive, then it can multiply.

When antibiotic drugs aren't used correctly — or drugs fail to kill all the bacteria for another reason — the conditions are ideal for more-resistant versions of the bacteria to get established and multiply. If these bacteria are passed on to other people, a new drug-resistant strain can grow over time.

This happens when people didn't follow directions for taking the drugs or stopped taking the drugs. They weren't prescribed the right treatment plan. The drugs were of poor quality. The body didn't absorb the drugs as expected.

Risk factors

Anyone can get tuberculosis, but certain factors increase the risk of getting an infection. Other factors increase the risk of an infection becoming active TB disease.

Living or traveling in a country where TB is common, including several countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Living or working in places where people live close together, such as prisons, nursing homes and shelters for homeless people. Living in a community identified as being at high risk of tuberculosis.

Working in health care and treating people with a high risk of TB.A weakened immune system increases the risk of a TB infection becoming active TB disease. Conditions or treatments that weaken the immune system include Diabetes, Severe kidney disease, Cancers of the head, neck and blood, malnutrition or low body weight, long-term use of prescription steroids, use of unlawful injected drugs.

Under 5 years of age. 

Until children reach age 5, they have a high risk of a TB infection becoming active TB disease. The risk is greater for children under age 2. Tuberculosis in this age group often leads to serious disease in the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal column, called meningitis.

Age 15 to 25. People in this age group have an increased risk of developing more-severe active TB disease in the lungs.

Age 65 and older. The immune system weakens during older age. Older adults have a greater risk of active TB disease. Also, the disease may be more difficult to treat.

Preventing the spread of disease

If one hasTB disease, one needs to take steps to prevent other people from getting an infection. They need to take drugs for four, six or nine months.  

Use a tissue to cover the mouth anytime while sneezing or coughing. Put the dirty tissue in a bag, seal it and throw it away.

Vaccinations

In countries where tuberculosis is common, infants often are vaccinated with the bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine. This protects infants and toddlers who are more likely to have active TB disease in the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

 

India urgently needs to integrate mental health services as an essential part of TB services. Poor TB services – The quality of TB service in India is still undignified and often unaffordable. Investment in TB infrastructure for diagnosis and treatment in the public sector has to be increased. In absolute numbers, India accounts for 27 percent of World TB Cases in 2017 as per the WHO’s Global TB Report 2018. However, in terms of incidence of TB i.e., number of cases per lakh population, India ranks 35th in the world.In 2021, Delhi had the highest TB case notification rate in India with over 534 cases per 100,000 people.

SLOGANS 

1. A world without TB is a world i would like to live in. 

2. Let’s together bring in a revolution to eradicate TB! 

3. Let’s fight TB! Let’s save lives ! 

4. The right treatment is the right way to fight TB! 

5. Let’s not trouble ourselves with this deadly disease! Let’s find ways to lead a healthy life!