Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious, but curable infectious disease. It usually
affects the lungs (called pulmonary TB) but it can affect other parts of the
body such as the lymph glands, bones, joints and kidneys. It can also cause a
serious form of meningitis.
TB is curable with a full course of treatment.
If you suspect that you may have contracted TB consult your GP.
What are the symptoms of TB disease?
TB disease develops slowly in the body, and it usually takes several months for
symptoms to appear. Any of the following symptoms may suggest TB:
- Persistent cough that gets worse and lasts more than three weeks
- Fever and night sweats
- Feeling unusually tired or ill
- Unexplained weight loss
- Not wanting to eat
- Coughing up blood
Some people may not feel unwell.
How do you catch TB?
The TB germ is usually spread in the air and is quite difficult to catch.
Usually it requires prolonged or repeated contact with a person with infectious
TB. Even then, not everyone who is infected with the bacteria will
develop the disease. The following people have a greater chance of becoming ill
if exposed to it:
- Those in very close contact with infectious people
- Children
- Elderly people
- Diabetics
- People on steroids
- People on other drugs affecting the body’s defense system
- People who are HIV-positive
- People in overcrowded, poor housing
- People who are dependent on drugs or alcohol
- People with chronic poor health
TB is more common in certain countries. The 22 countries shown on the map
account for 80% of the TB cases around the world.
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Alphabetical List of Countries:
- 1. Afghanistan
- 2. Bangladesh
- 3. Brazil
- 4. Cambodia
- 5. China
- 6. Democratic Republic of Congo
- 7. Ethiopia
- 8. India
- 9. Indonesia
- 10. Kenya
- 11. Mozambique
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- 12. Myanmar
- 13. Nigeria
- 14. Pakistan
- 15. Philippines
- 16. Russia
- 17. South Africa
- 18. Tanzania
- 19. Thailand
- 20. Uganda
- 21. Viet Nam
- 22. Zimbabwe
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How is TB disease treated?
In almost every case TB can be cured, but only if the full course of
antibiotic treatment is taken for a minimum of six months.
People with TB disease rarely go into hospital for treatment although they
may be admitted very briefly to confirm the diagnosis and to start their
treatment. Patients are usually non-infectious after two weeks of treatment
How important is treatment?
Treatment is vital. If you have been prescribed treatment you must take the treatment as directed. It is very important to
complete the full course of treatment, as it will stop you being infectious and
it will remove the risk of you developing drug-resistant TB. Untreated TB
disease can lead to death.
What if I have been in contact with someone with TB?
If you think you have been in contact with someone with infectious TB discuss this with your GP. When someone is diagnosed with TB disease, the local chest clinic
staff will assess the risk posed to other people. If a person is infectious
then close contacts will be invited for screening. Close contacts are people
living in the same household and close family members. Sometimes casual contacts
such as University colleagues and friends may be invited for screening, but this
often is not necessary.
You may be asked to make an appointment with your local chest clinic.
Sometimes a TB nurse or chest diseases health visitor will contact you first
(they will have a list of close contacts). The nurse will arrange a skin test
and/or chest x-ray. This does not mean that you have TB, but it is a chance to
check for any symptoms, so it is very important that you do attend, if asked.
Information obtained from The University of Greenwich