Tuberculosis: A Devastating Disease of the Lungs.

Tuberculosis

     Tuberculosis is an airborne disease caused by the mycobacterium "tuberculosis bacterium" also known as "koch's bacillus". It is a contagious disease which is spread through the air we breathe and also in droplets released by the patient and those infected by the bacteria.

     It is a disease that commonly affect people with a weak immune system. It is a disease that commonly affects people with a weak immune system, since some people harbor the microbes within themselves for the rest of their live because of their strong immune system. Immuno compromised persons including people living with HIV/AIDs are most vulnerable to this pandemic.


     It is nice to note that TB is curable in the current dispensation as against the former belief that it is incurable. The advancement in Science and Technology has made it easy for such cures to be feasible in the face of it turbulence. However, the treatment must be abide unto for months, otherwise a return match could be so disastrous as it will come with more legion to advance its course of devastation.

               Devastating Impacts of TB on Public Health

 

                       TB Patient

     TB is spreading extremely in rapid proportion in poor and third world countries of the world. It is so rapid that at least one third of the world's population is infected with the scourge and approximately 9 million people are newly infected each year. Studies carried out reveals that 2 million people died of this scourge annually worlwide at a rate of 5000 per day according to WHO tuberculosis fact sheet 2006.

     It is noteworthy that recently this scourge has developed wings into drug resistance, primarily due to poor management of treatment programs and sometimes due to patient's lack of compliance to treatment that demand several months, say at least 6 months to complete the circle of treatment. with this new wings, it poses a problem unto the risk of spreading multi-drugs resistant bacteria strains (MDR-TB) which tells why WHO in 2006 report analyzed that 300,000 cases of MDR-TB occur annually.

                                         Diagnosis

     It is not always easy to diagnose this ailment because the symptoms are not unique to TB which makes it difficult to be viewed.

     * Clinical Signs: Although initial signs are not clear and specific to the ailment but the major ones discovered are: loss of appetite and weight loss, fatigue, low grade fever, and chronic cough. It is a disease of the lungs, during the initial stage, but can affects other organs as well if not treated for a long time.

     * Additional Tests There are several medical examinations conducted to determine the extent of damage to other organs, and a tuberculin skin test (TST) is another simple test used to detects this disease.

     * Biological Analysis: This is a form of analysis that are essential because they make it possible to confirm diagnosis. Bacteriological analysis of sputum at least three successive clinical samples enables culture and identification of the bacteria and determines its sensitivity to antibiotics.

                                      Symptoms

 

Severe Cough

      Cough has been the most associated symptoms of this ailment; it often start as a dry cough, it tends to continue for several days or even months and the victim will begin to cough profusely with bloodstains. Other symptoms includes, fever, sweat, feeling unwell, weight loss, pains in the chest, and poor appetite.

                                          Prevention

   
                                                                   

Go for Medical Checkup

      Since the treatment takes a few months, it is advisable that the victim should:
     * Stay at Home: Don't go to work or school or sleep in a room with other people during the first few weeks of contact with the scourge.

     * Ventilate the Room: The germs spread more rapidly in closed spaces where air does not move, therefore windows should be open and or use a fan to blow indoor air outside.

      * Cover Your Mouth: Use a tissue to cover your mouth anytime you sneeze or laugh or cough,dispose off the tissue in a bag seal it and throw it away.

     * Wear a Mask: Wearing of surgical mask anytime you are in a public place in the first 3 weeks of initial contact with this disease, this will help lessen the risk of transmission.

     * Finish Your Medication: Try as much as possible to finish your course of medication, this is an important step you can take to protects yourself and others from TB.

     * Vaccination: In vulnerable countries, infants are vaccinated with Baccilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) for the prevention of this disease and this should be adhered to at all cost.

     Picture courtesy:   healthcare101.com
                                     medindia.com
                                    naturalhomeremedies.com