Tuberculosis (TB)

 

Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially serious infectious disease that mainly affects your lungs. The bacteria that cause tuberculosis are spread from one person to another through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes.

TB affects all age groups and all parts of the world. However, it is more prevalent in developing countries. India is the country with the highest burden of TB. The World Health Organisation (WHO) TB statistics for India for 2016 give an estimated incidence figure of 2.79 million cases of TB for India.

Fast facts on Tuberculosis

The World Health Organization estimates that 9 million people a year get sick with TB, with 3 million of these "missed" by health systems.

*TB is among the top 3 causes of death for women aged 15 to 44.

*TB symptoms may be mild for many months, and people ill with TB can infect up to 10-15 other people through close contact over the course of a year.

*TB is an airborne pathogen, meaning that the bacteria that cause TB can spread through the air from person to person.

Symptoms

Latent TB: In this condition, you have a TB infection, but the bacteria remain in your body in an inactive state and cause no symptoms. Latent TB, also called inactive TB or TB infection, isn’t contagious. It can turn into active TB, so treatment is important for the person with latent TB and to help control the spread of TB.

Active TB. This condition makes you sick and in most cases can spread to others. It can occur in the first few weeks after infection with the TB bacteria, or it might occur years later.

Causes

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air. This can happen when someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs or sings.

Although tuberculosis is contagious, it’s not easy to catch. You’re much more likely to get tuberculosis from someone you live with or work with than from a stranger. Most people with active TB who’ve had appropriate drug treatment for at least two weeks are no longer contagious.

Risk factors

*HIV/AIDS.

*Diabetes.

*Severe kidney disease.

*Certain cancers or their treatment.

*Drugs to prevent rejection of transplanted organs.

*Malnutrition.

*Very young or advanced age.

Complications

Without treatment, tuberculosis can be fatal. The untreated active disease typically affects your lungs, but it can spread to other parts of your body through your bloodstream. Examples of tuberculosis complications include:

*Spinal pain.

*Joint damage.

*Swelling of the membranes that cover your brain (meningitis).

*Liver or kidney problems.

*Heart disorders.