What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis or TB in short is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is spread trough the air from one person to another, and usually attacks the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body. Tuberculosis is curable and preventable.

Some factors accountable for TB

• Alcohol and smoking
• An unbalanced diet (malnourishment & obesity)
• Immuno-suppressants like steroids
• Diabetes and HIV-AIDS
• Crowded living conditions
• Poverty
• Low body weight
• Cancer of the head or neck

Symptoms and diagnosis

Common symptoms are- cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.

Diagnosing TB may include a review of patient`s medical history, a physical exam, a TB skin test (PPD test) and other tests, such as a chest x-ray and samples of sputum under a microscope to see if bacteria are present.

However, detecting multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and HIV-associated TB can be more complex. A new two-hour test that has proven highly effective in diagnosing TB and the presence of drug resistance is now being rolled-out in many countries. Tuberculosis is particularly difficult to diagnose in kids.

Who is most at risk?

All age groups are at risks; but, TB mainly affects young adults in their most productive years. As per the WHO estimation, over 95% of cases and deaths are reported in developing countries.

People suffering from other conditions that impair the immune system have greater risk of getting active TB. More than 20% of TB cases are attributable to smoking globally as tobacco use greatly swells the risk of TB virus and death.

Tuberculosis- The leading killer

TB is second only to HIV/AIDS as the greatest killer worldwide due to a single infectious agent. According to WHO, 8.8 million people fell ill with TB and 1.4 million died in 2010. Over 95% of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and it is also among the top three causes of death for women aged 15 to 44.

There were about 10 million orphan children worldwide in 2009 as a result of TB deaths among parents. About half a million children (0-14 years) fell ill with TB, and 64 000 (a range of 58 000 to 71 000) children died from the disease in 2010.

It has also been reported that Tuberculosis kills two people every three minutes in India.

India has highest number of MDR-TB in South East Asia

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India had an estimated 63,000 cases of notified multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in 2010, making it the highest in the South East Asia region. India ranks second among the 27 MDR-TB high-burden countries worldwide after China.

Extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) cases have also been reported from India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal and Thailand from the region.

HIV and TB shape a lethal combination, each speeding the other’s progress. About 5 per cent of TB patients are HIV-positive and therefore, it is estimated that around 2.4 million Indians are currently living with HIV.

Worldwide impact

In 2010, the largest number of new TB cases occurred in Asia, accounting for 60% of new cases globally, even though the disease spreads to all over world. However, Sub-Saharan Africa carried the greatest proportion of new cases per population with over 270 cases per 100 000 population in 2010.

About 80% of reported TB cases occurred in 22 countries in 2010. While major decline has been shown in some countries, others experience a slow drop in TB cases. China, in particular, has made theatrical progress in managing TB. The TB death rate in the country fell by almost 80% and the total number of disease also dropped by half between 1990 and 2010.

Treatment

Tuberculosis is a treatable and curable disease and the treatment for the virus is a six month cycle. You should consult your doctor at the earliest possible time if you have any of the symptoms of the disease. Hence, following the directed line of treatment under strict medical regulation is crucial to recovery.

By Salome Phelamei