Tuberculous cough

What is Tuberculosis (TB)and its pattern of distribution?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infectious disease that is caused by a group of Mycobacterium species known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex.

It affects mostly the lungs, known as pulmonary tuberculosis. According to World Health Organization (WHO), more than 95% of all deaths due to this lung infection occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Also, WHO reports show that Africa had the highest proportion of new cases per population in 2013 with about 280 cases per 100,000 population.

Four years ago, Nigeria was reported by WHO as having a high tuberculosis burden with an estimated incidence rate of 338 per 100,000 population and prevalence rate of 326 per 100,000 population.

Globally, TB is the second greatest killer after HIV/AIDS; and it’s one of the major causes of death among women aged between 15 and 44 years.

Also, globally, 480,000 people were estimated to have developed multi-drug resistant TB, going by WHO’s 2014 report.

Additionally, HIV/AIDS is a major risk factor for contracting and developing tuberculosis which is the greatest killer of people living with HIV/AIDS, and accounts for one fourth of deaths related to HIV/AIDS.

Common symptoms of TB include but not limited to the following:

(1) Persistent cough of two or more weeks

(2) Hemoptysis

(3) Fever

(4) Weight loss

(5) Shortness of breath

(6) Excessive night sweat

(7) Weakness

(8) Lethargy and

(9) Loss of appetite.

Mode of transmission of TB

Tuberculosis is transmitted through air. This occurs when a pulmonary tuberculosis patient coughs, sneezes or spits, releasing tuberculosis germs into the air, a few of which causes infection when inhaled.

Therefore, the most important source of infection is an untreated pulmonary TB patient.

Other risks of exposure and infection include the duration of contact with the TB patient, overcrowding, poor ventilation and susceptibility to tuberculosis infection.

An infected person is more likely to develop tuberculosis:

• if s/he has HIV/AIDS or diabetes mellitus;
• also, if s/he takes steroids for a long time;
• if s/he uses anti-cancer drugs;
• then, if s/he is an alcoholic; or
• if s/he is malnourished.

However, tuberculosis is preventable and curable if detected early and treated promptly.

Examining for lung infection

Tuberculosis treatment

The prevention and control measures aimed at addressing TB risk factors are encapsulated in the WHO’s Stop TB strategy recommended for implementation by member states and partners.

The components of the DOTS strategy include:

(1) the pursuit of expansion and enhancement of high-quality directly observed treatment short course (DOTS).

This can be achieved through political commitment, increased financing, early case detection, supervised treatment and patient support, effective drug supply and management system, monitoring/evaluation and impact assessment;

(2) addressing tuberculosis and AIDS, and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis through the implementation of collaborative TB and HIV activities, prevention and control of multi-drug resistant TB.

We need to pay attention to high risk groups such as refugees, people with mental health issues, prisoners, children, very poor people, and older people;

(3) contributing to the strengthening of health system by participating in efforts to improve service delivery, financing, information systems, and human resources;

(4) engaging all care providers using public-public and public-private approaches and international standards for tuberculosis care;

(5) empowering TB patients and communities through community participation in TB care, advocacy, communication and social mobilization;

(6) enabling and promoting programme-based operational research or research to develop new diagnostics, drugs and vaccines.

In conclusion, family members must take precaution by deliberately avoiding the risk factors of TB as enumerated above.

Moreover, do not hesitate to consult a doctor immediately there is cough, plus or minus other symptoms of TB infection.

Also, anyone coughing should have his or her mouth covered with a white handkerchief, and move away from a closed system, and a crowded area. This will help prevent the spread of infection.

We therefore expect that the prevention and control measures will address the risks of exposure, infection and progression of infection to TB disease, and eventually eliminate TB as a public health problem around the world.

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