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by Bhawna Roy,
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For quite some time, Tuberculosis (TB) has been affecting the country of India, causing a plethora of health challenges for its citizens. Despite being deemed curable and completely avoidable for most Indians, it still manages to affect tens of millions of individuals annually.
To prevent the spread of Tuberculosis in India completely,the Indian Government has made it very clear to eradicate TB from the subcontinent effective immediately. This also means that the awareness of this very avoidable disease must also be known across the nation.
It is a bacterial infection that occurs when Mycobacterium Tuberculosis enters the body and mostly affects the functionality of the lungs but has also travelled to other parts of the body such as the bones, brain, kidneys, and the spine. The main way TB infects individuals is through the air, when an infected individual sneezes, coughs or spits out in the public.
Tuberculosis can broadly be classified into two specific types. They are as follows:
1.) Latent Tuberculosis - This particular type of TB can infect an individual but has little to no effect, they do not feel sick at any time. They have no symptoms that show once they become infected, and the infected individuals are not contagious to other individuals. But, if by any chance the immune system shows any signs of weakening, the Latent TB instantly turns into an active variation.
2.) Active Tuberculosis - This variation of the TB virus can affect the individual and immediately make them sick after the first contact has been made. Once the virus is in the system, it immediately starts to multiply rapidly. Active TB is very infectious and contagious and is in dire need of medical treatment at the earliest.
Other types of Tuberculosis includes Pulmonary Tuberculosis, which affects the lungs, Extrapulmonary TB, which affects other types of organs such as lymph nodes, spine and brain, and lastly, a Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis, which is caused by bacteria that are highly-resistant to the very first kinds of TB drugs, making this particular type of TB harder and longer to take action against.
The way TB can rapidly spread through a healthy individual through the presence of an infected individual's exhales and other ways through which they discharge their airways. This, however, does not mean that every individual who is exposed to the bacteria can fall ill instantly. There are many risk factors to consider, including:
1.) A very weak immune system to protect against TB.
2.) Malnutrition due to inefficient amounts of nutritious foods present in the diet.
3.) Being in very close proximity to patients who have been infected with Tuberculosis.
4.) Living next to some very overcrowded and extremely poorly ventilated areas where the risks of getting TB heightens tenfold.
5.) Substance abuse which happens to include alcoholism and addiction to drug use.
6.) Improper hygiene is also a massive reason why the cases for TB manages to skyrocket every year, and it does not help that the majority of the populace does not understand the gravity of the TB situation due to a distinct lack of awareness.
- A very persistent cough that can go on for about 2 weeks.
- Encountering blood that comes out of the mouth while coughing.
- Experiencing very sharp pains in the chest cavity.
- Having high temperature fevers during the night time, especially during the evening.
- Having random bouts of sweating during the night.
- Sudden weight loss or gain due to TB.
- Large amounts of fatigue present during the tenure of TB present in the body.
1.) Early Detection and potential treatment - The Indian Government can offer its citizens free TB testing and treatment which was made under the guide of the National TB Elimination Programme. This programme can also guarantee that TB can be curable in about 6 months because of a therapy programme known as the DOTS Therapy.
2.) BCG Vaccination - This vaccine is given to babies and new borns for the purpose of preventing severe Tuberculosis in children.
3.) Public Awareness - Through the educational process of telling the severity of TB to the general public, these will help encourage infected individuals who have contracted TB and some of its symptoms are still prevalent 2 weeks after they first contracted it.
4.) Be sure to protect yourself - Always cover your mouth and nose with your hand or arm while sneezing and coughing. Be sure to wear a well-protected mask while going through extremely crowded places. There must also be plenty of ventilation spaces where you reside. Try to stay as far away from TB-infected individuals as possible.
5.) Nutrition and Immunity - A very strong and potent immune system can definitely help fight off a tuberculosis infection before it can spread throughout the body. Through eating a balanced diet that primarily has proteins, vitamins and minerals, the body can be fully prepared to ward off any potential infections first hand.
The prevention of Tuberculosis in the body is completely doable and is also very curable if a person happens to be infected with TB. Yet, it is still a very big issue in the medical headspace due to many delayed diagnosis, little to no awareness of the severity Tuberculosis and bring to the country, and creates a social stigma for the populace.
The best way to help prevent any type of TB from developing is through continuous and consistent testing of the body in case any evidence TB symptoms start to show themselves.