Affecting nearly one third of world population,
tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major public health problems in developing
countries. Asia accounts for 80% of total cases of TB worldwide. In low and
middle income based countries, one in every three adults die from TB whose
death rate is after HIV and ischemic heart disease and it is the most common
cause of death from a single infection among the adults. TB is the first
infectious disease declared by the World
Health Organization as a global health emergency.
TB is transmitted by respiratory route when a patient
is coughing or sneezing, and one strain of TB, Mycobacterium
bovis, can be caused by drinking un-boiled milk. Risk of TB is high among
population living in poverty, low socioeconomic groups, low income,
immune-suppressed (including AIDS), and extreme age (old age and children)
groups, certain ethnicity, migrants, and those exposed to animals
(Mycobacterium bovis)
Low level of knowledge on TB can lead to complications
and worse health outcomes increasing the transmission and delaying health
seeking behavior, lack of adherence, resulting in multidrug resistance,
treatment failure, and disease complication and death.
Tuberculosis: Myths and Facts
Myth: Tuberculosis is hereditary.
Fact: Tuberculosis is NOT hereditary. TB is an airborne disease that is
spread when a person with active TB coughs, laughs, sneezes or sings, breathing
out tiny infected particles into the air. The particles may then be inhaled by
others nearby. TB can be contracted by anybody.
Myth: If someone with tuberculosis coughs I
will automatically contact it.
Fact: TB is not easily contracted. You have to be in close contact with
someone who has TB for a long time (usually many hours or days). You should be
aware of the symptoms of the disease so you can seek treatment as soon as
possible.
Myth: If I don’t have TB symptoms, I don’t
have TB.
Fact: A person with TB disease can have any of the following symptoms: chest
pain; chronic cough; night sweats; feeling tired or weak; loss of appetite;
unexpected weight loss; or coughing up blood. It is also important to remember
that a person with TB disease may feel perfectly healthy or show fewer
symptoms. If you think you have been exposed to TB, get a TB skin test.
Myth: TB is a disease of the
lower socio-economic classes
Fact: TB is an airborne disease
and can be easily contracted by anyone, rich or poor. However, overcrowding,
lack of ventilation, poor access to health care, malnutrition, etc., predispose
poorer people to TB. Certain populations, e.g. immigrants, human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV)-positive and immune-compromised patients, elderly people and
homeless people, are at a greater risk. Individuals in contact with these
people are also at risk.
Myth: tuberculosis
happens only to smokers and it affects only the lungs.
Fact: tuberculosis can happen because of a lot of
other reasons and besides lungs, also affects the brain, spinal cord,
intestines, eyes, covering of the heart, bones & joints, stomach etc.
Despite these
challenges, WHO is committed to continuing its work with countries and partners
around the world to address these challenges and to accelerate collective
action to end the TB epidemic altogether..
If you also want to contribute something in society in respect with TB awareness then Join our TB awareness campaign today.
- Raksha Goyal
