Tuberculosis is a contagious disease. A type of bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis or M. tuberculosis causes it.
Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but TB can attack almost any part of the body. It is spread from person to person through the air. When people with TB in their lungs (called ‘pulmonary tuberculosis’) cough, laugh, sneeze, sing, or even talk, the germs that spread TB may be spread into the air. If another person breathes in the germs there is a chance that they will become infected with tuberculosis.
Left undiagnosed, untreated or not treated properly, tuberculosis can kill.
Multidrug-resistant strains of the disease can occur when patients do not take TB treatment properly. Having MDR-TB is more difficult to treat than fully drug-sensitive tuberculosis.
It is quite possible to be infected with the TB bacteria, but not to be ill or infectious. This is called ‘latent TB infection’. It is not harmful in its latent form, an individual will not display any symptoms, and the infection cannot be passed on to others. Indeed the World Health Organization estimates that a third of the world’s population is latently infected. It is estimated that of those with latent TB infection, only 10% will go on to develop active TB disease.
When someone goes from having ‘latent infection’ to ‘active disease’ an individual will become unwell. When active disease occurs, it can show in any part of the body. Most commonly it occurs in the lungs. This is called ‘pulmonary tuberculosis’. When TB occurs in any other part of the body, for example, the lymph nodes, the spine, the kidneys etc, it is called ‘ extra-pulmonary tuberculosis’.
As TB is an airborne disease, it needs to be exhaled by someone with active TB disease in his or her lungs. Therefore if someone has TB elsewhere in the body, other than the lungs, they cannot be infectious since it cannot be exhaled. This doesn’t mean that extra-pulmonary TB is less dangerous to the individual who has it. It doesn’t matter where the disease resides. They both can make you very sick. Either pulmonary or extra-pulmonary when left untreated can cause much damage and can potentially kill.
A person with latent TB infection;
- Has no symptoms.
- Does not feel sick.
- Cannot spread TB to others.
- Has a normal chest x-ray and sputum test.
A person with active TB disease;
- Might have a bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer (when TB is present in the lungs).
- Might have pain in the chest, be coughing up sputum and possibly blood.
- May feel week or fatigued.
- Can experience weight loss and have no appetite.
- Might experience chills, fever and possibly night sweats.
- Can spread TB to others (when it is present in the lungs).
- May have an abnormal chest x-ray, or positive sputum smear or culture.
Anyone is susceptible to becoming infected with TB, however some people are more at risk of going on to develop active TB disease. They are;
- People who share the same breathing space, for example, those that we live with. This also includes institutions such as prisons, hospitals and nursing homes.
- Poverty is one of the main drivers of TB disease. Good nutrition is vital to maintaining health. Social problems such as homelessness, poor and overcrowded living conditions, alcoholism and the use of illegal drugs can all increase the risk of someone going on to develop active TB disease.
- 3) Some people with health problems that affect the immune system such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, certain cancers and people taking drugs for other existing medical conditions are also at risk. When the immune system is not working at its optimum level, it cannot prevent latent TB infection becoming active TB disease.
The good news is that TB and MDR-TB are both curable. Treatment with a combination of special drugs takes a minimum of 6-9 months.
I f you have TB/MDR-TB and start on treatment you will feel better and become non-infectious quite quickly. This doesn’t mean that you can stop taking the medication. The TB germ takes a long time to kill because it replicates very slowly and may be hiding somewhere. It is important to ensure that all of the TB bacteria are killed so the disease does not come back.
Some TB drugs do have side effects. This is because the drugs are working. If you are having problems taking TB medication tell you doctor or TB specialist. They will be able to help you to take your medication.
Keep taking your medication as you are told to and one day you won’t have to take them again. It is worth staying on track with treatment, as it will probably save your life. TB/MDR-TB can become part of your past, rather than your future with proper adherence.
