Tuberculosis

Few years ago, a friend of mine at school whom we stay in the same apartment together, thought he had flu. For weeks, he'd been experiencing fatigue, weight loss and persistent coughing. He visited the school clinic and requested for a diagnosis of what could be wrong with him. The diagnosis came out to be Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

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This disease has claimed over 1.5 million lives annually, ruining families, communities and the global economy. This disease is deadly that it can lie dormant for years and only strike when least expected, leaving the victim heaving. Lets learn about "Tuberculosis" together!!

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infection caused by mycobacterium. Tuberculosis, basically affecting only the lungs (i.e., pulmonary TB) can also affect other organs (i.e., extrapulmonary TB). It is one of the top topics of discussion in global health concerns, with a high rate of mortality. Below is a comprehensive overview of Tuberculosis (TB).

Characteristics

1. Infectious Diseases: Can be spread through close contact, contact with contaminated surfaces and airborne transmission.
2. Bacterial infection: Usually caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium.
3. Chronic or Acute: Can spring up as asymptomatic or symptomatic disease.
4. Pulmonary or extrapulmonary: Mainly affects the lungs and rarely affects other organs.

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Types of Tuberculosis

1. Pulmonary TB: The most common form of Tuberculosis
2. Extrapulmonary TB: Affects organs in the human body other than the lungs
3. Latent TB: Non contagious and an infection without symptoms
4. Active TB: Presence of symptoms and it's contagious.
5. Drug-resitant TB: Resistant to one or more anti- tuberculosis drugs.

Causes and Risk Factors

1. Close contact with the infected
2. Airborne transmission
3. Overcrowding and poor ventilation
4. Smoking
5. Malnutrition
6. Weakened Immune System (presence of disease such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes etc..)

Symptoms

1. Chest pain
2. Persistent Coughing and coughing up blood
3. Fatigue and weight loss
4. Fever
5. Night sweats
6. Shortness of breath

Diagnosis

1. Chest X-ray
2. GeneXpert MTB/RIF test
3. Tuberculin skin test (TST)
4. Sputum smear microscopy

Treatment

1. Directly observed treatment
2. Antibiotics (first-line: rifampicin, ethambutol, isoniazid)
   Treatment duration 6-12 months

Prevention

1. Vaccination (BCG vaccine)
2. Infection control measure (practicing hygiene)
3. Screening for latent TB

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Prevalence

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most prevalent infectious diseased worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO):

• I.4 Billion people (that is 18% of the world's population) are infected with latent TB
• 222 Million people suffered severely from TB between 2015 and 2020.
• 28.4 million people developed active TB disease in the year 2020 alone.

Incidence:

The incidence of TB varies by country, population and region.

• In 2020, there were 9.9 million new cases if TB cases globally (127, per 100,000 population)
• Asia and Africa account for 85% of new TB cases.
• Countries with higher rate of TB Incidence includes
  Lesotho (578 per 100,000), South Africa (451 per 100,000) and Mozambique (361 per 100,000).

Prognosis

The prognosis for Tuberculosis depends of various factors:

• Early diagnosis and treatment: 90% cute rate for drug- receptive Tuberculosis
• Drug-resistant tuberculosis: 50 - 60% cure rate for MDR-TB and 20-30% for highly Drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB).
• HIV-TB co-infection: A very high rate of mortality/mortality risk.

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To sum it all up, Tuberculosis remains a pressing global health concern, with unstable prevalence z incident and prognosis. Despite progress and, challenges keep on springing up, including inadequate access to proper healthcare, Drug-resistant TB and HIV-TB co-infection.

Together we can health improve life and combat tuberculosis by strengthening the healthcare system, enhancing funds for TB research and control, promote awareness and proper education, improve access to treatment and diagnosis of TB and addressing social factors of health.

Thanks for reading

I invite @bela90, @emmyjnr and @entity01 to participate.

Cc,
@khursheedanwar