What is Tuberculosis (TB)? Know symptoms, treatment and how it spreads

World Tuberculosis Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the dangerous bacterial illness that damages lung health. The day also emphasises the social and economic costs of TB and its worldwide health impacts. Today was the day when Dr Robert Koch declared his discovery of the bacterium that causes TB. Discovery in 1882, the day is celebrated all over the world.

Know how TB spreads
Tuberculosis, often known as TB, is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It usually affects the lungs. It is both treatable and avoidable. And spreads through the air or from person to person. When patients with tuberculosis cough, sneeze, or split, bacteria enter the air. A person becomes sick if they inhale a handful of these bacteria.

Let us tell you that around one-third of the world's population has latent tuberculosis, which means that they have been infected by TB germs but are not yet ill with the disease and cannot spread it. Another factor to consider is that persons infected with tuberculosis germs have a 10% lifetime chance of developing tuberculosis. Those with impaired immune systems, such as persons living with HIV, malnutrition, diabetes, or people who use cigarettes, are at a considerably higher risk of being ill.

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Symptoms of Tuberculosis
TB bacteria grow in the lungs and cause symptoms like:

- Weakness/fatigue
- Weight loss
- No appetite
- Chills
- Fever
- A bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer
- Pain in the chest
- Coughing up blood or sputum that is mucus from deep inside the lungs.
- Sweating at night, and more

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Treatment
Tuberculosis can be cured if caught early. When treating tuberculosis, the strain of the illness is extremely crucial. Antibiotics are used to treat latent tuberculosis. In the event of active tuberculosis, patients may be advised to take various medications for nearly nine months. However, therapy becomes more difficult for people who have a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis.

Patients with tuberculosis may develop ill again if they stop taking the medicines too soon and do not finish the course of treatment. If people do not take their medications appropriately, the germs of still- alive tuberculosis may grow resistant to those medications.

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• Tuberculosis
• Tuberculosis day