World TB Day 2023: 9 warning signs you shouldn't ignore | Health - Hindustan Times
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World TB Day 2023: 9 warning signs and symptoms you shouldn't ignore

Mar 24, 2023 10:53 AM IST

TB not just affects your lungs but causes damage to other vital body functions too. The disease is however very much treatable and early diagnosis can help.

World TB Day is celebrated every year on March 24. The theme of World TB Day 2023 is– Yes! We can end TB! Tuberculosis or TB is a much-dreaded bacterial disease affecting lungs which if not treated early can lead to fatal complications. TB spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. While most people do not have any symptoms of TB when infected and do not require treatment, when they do emerge, the range of symptoms include cough, weight loss, night sweats and fever. Tuberculosis has been a growing concern especially in India as the country has 28% of all the TB patients in the world. H3N2 influenza and Covid may spike the number of these patients even further in the coming days, as per experts. (Also read: World Tuberculosis Day 2023: History, significance, theme)

TB is an infection caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and has the capacity to infect and involve any organs in the body primarily the lungs. (Freepik)
TB is an infection caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and has the capacity to infect and involve any organs in the body primarily the lungs. (Freepik)

TB not only just affects lungs but can also cause joint damage, liver and kidney issues, and even bone infections. The best way to deal with it is to spot it early and start the treatment as the disease is very much treatable. Go for blood tests, chest x-ray, or CT scans to confirm you have TB. The treatment will depend on the type of tuberculosis and could range from a few months to 2 years.

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"The prevalence and existence of TB have been the same for many years, and they remain unchanged. It is a chronic disease that has a prevalence rate of around 4 per 1,000 of the population, and the incidence of fresh cases is somewhere around 1 per 1,000 of the population. This figure remains the same throughout the year," says Dr Ashok K. Rajput, Consultant - Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi.

"TB is an infection caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and has the capacity to infect and involve any organs in the body primarily the lungs. Are you aware? TB tends to spread from person to person via aerosols. When people with Pulmonary TB cough, sneeze, or spit, the TB germs are released in the air and can remain active for several days. If another person inhales these germs, then he/she too gets infected. Remember that TB is contagious. Once these germs enter your body, they can cause an active infection or can remain in your body for several years called Latent Infection and become active later in your life when your immunity goes down. Also, tuberculosis is curable and preventable. Timely treatment can improve the quality of life of the patients. Moreover, one should recognize the signs of TB and report it to the doctor," says Dr Naman Ajwani, Chest physician, Zen Multispeciality Hospital, Chembur.

"Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem in India, having the world’s highest burden both in terms of the number of cases and deaths. India accounts for 28% of all TB cases worldwide. It’s urgent that we focus on strengthening our health systems and investing in TB prevention. India has set an ambitious goal to eliminate TB by 2025 and the government has made significant efforts to eradicate TB. However, the momentum was lost due to COVID-19 pandemic. Now, we must focus on prioritizing the health system and investing in TB prevention, detection, and treatment," says LM Singh, Managing Director-India, Vital Strategies.

TB cases on rise

Experts say that tuberculosis cases are on rise as the population increases and lifestyle diseases go up. The immunity of overall population has also been on decline due to poor lifestyle choices like low levels of activity, poor nutrition and obesity.

"We are getting at least 10-15 patients a week (1-2 cases per day) at the hospital. Due to the ongoing H3N2 and COVID virus, these numbers are expected to increase in the upcoming days. In my 40 years of experience, the absolute number of tuberculosis cases has increased due to rising population and overcrowding. There have been many variations in the cases, and the numbers are increasing gradually. The reason for these increasing numbers includes more people are suffering from comorbidities like heart or kidney disease or diabetes, and many are undergoing transplants. The immunity of the population is also getting low due to the adoption of poor lifestyle choices. Poor diet, obesity, and lack of physical activity are also responsible for low immunity. Overpopulation is also another factor that is responsible for the rise in numbers, especially in cities like Delhi as it makes transmission of the virus very easy," says Dr Rajput.

Types of TB

TB can manifest in two forms, pulmonary and extrapulmonary.

Dr. Ambarish Joshi, Sr. Consultant - Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine, Primus Superspeciality Hospital, New Delhi explains the symptoms of both and why they are challenging to diagnose.

"Pulmonary TB symptoms include cough, fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, bloody expectoration, loss of weight, and appetite, but these symptoms are non-specific. Diagnosis is confirmed by sputum examination. TB can also masquerade as other diseases, making it challenging to diagnose. TB is highly contagious, with people with active pulmonary TB potentially infecting 5-15 persons per year through close contact. Hence, treatment is the only way to cut this chain. The government has committed to planning and providing high-quality evidence-based regimes under the banner of the Revised National Tuberculosis Program," says Dr Joshi.

Signs of TB

Dr Naman talks about the warning signs of TB one should not ignore

- Continuous cough that lasts for more than 2 weeks: You shouldn't ignore persistent cough that goes on for 15-20 days and get yourself checked for tuberculosis.

- Coughing up blood or sputum: This is another danger sign of TB and the one can that warns you of active existence of this dreaded disease in your lungs.

- Weakness: If you feel unexplained weakness for several days along with coughing and fever, it could be tuberculosis.

- Fatigue: Low energy levels and feeling of not being able to do anything is another tell-tale sign.

- Weight loss: Losing considerable weight very quickly shows that there is a possibility you could be battling this disease.

- Poor appetite: TB patients also report losing their appetite and not feeling like having food.

- Low grade Fever: Fever in TB patients is mostly reported in the evening. If you too are getting these symptoms, time for a check-up.

- Night-time sweating: Among a range of TB symptoms that one should pay attention to, sweating at bedtime is a crucial one.

- Breathlessness: Shortness of breath is common in many kinds of respiratory illnesses. Considering TB is the illness of lungs, this symptom shows that disease is deteriorating your lung health.

Dr Rajput says TB can be controlled if the standard of living is improved.

"Developed countries have worked on improving their living standards, which explains why they are able to control TB cases better. In terms of a good lifestyle, one should focus on better food options to get enough nutrients that will help build immunity. At the same time, cities must have planned infrastructure to ensure there is no overcrowding, and unhygienic practices like spitting or smoking," says Dr Rajput.

Diagnosis of TB

"Your doctor will perform blood tests, chest x-ray, and/or CT scans to confirm the TB diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, you will have to follow the line of treatment recommended by the doctor only. Do not self-medicate as doing so can be risky and make you fall sick even further. It is better to start treatment without any delay to ensure a good prognosis for the disease," says Dr Naman.

Treatment of TB

"The best thing about TB is that it can be cured so One will have to take medication till the time the treating doctor prescribes it. The treatment duration ranges from few months to 2 years depending on case-by-case situations. If one is known to have a drug-resistant TB, the doctor might recommend a combination of medicines that one has to continue to take at least for 2-3 years," concludes Dr Naman.

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