There are many frequently asked questions associated with tuberculosis (TB), such as what is the cause of the disease? What are factors or conditions (risk factors) that can put you at higher risk of having this disease? And eventually what you should do to prevent tuberculosis? Before continuing, you may also be interested to know more about signs and symptoms of TB!
Once you get the infection of bacteria that cause tuberculosis, the symptoms doesn’t develop quickly. The bacteria of this disease are very slow moving, that’s why the progress of the disease and symptoms usually develop slowly. Even there are some patients who don’t experience any sign of the disease until many years after they were infected.
Cause of tuberculosis
This disease is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (a kind of slow-growing bacteria that usually maturate in certain areas of the body (particularly parts that have lots of blood and O2 ‘oxygen’ -- like the lungs). Mycobacterium tuberculosis can spread from an infected individual to others through the mechanism of microscopic droplets that are released /loosed into the air.
The condition when tuberculosis is contagious often called as ‘active TB’ -- there is also a non-contagious condition of the disease or called as ‘latent TB’. The bacteria can be relatively easier to spread to others when TB occurs in the lungs. In this condition, the infection can spread easily when patient laughs, coughs, sings, sneezes, or even when she /he takes a breath.
But for case of tuberculosis that doesn’t affect the lungs (when the disease affects other parts of the body that are also rich in blood and O2), the spread of infection to others is relatively more difficult.
Fortunately, most patients with contagious TB or active TB will be no longer contagious after had the right drug and treatment.
Tuberculosis and HIV /AIDS
The number of patients with TB increased drastically since 1980 due to the spread of deathly virus what we call as HIV (a kind of virus that is responsible for the cause of AIDS).
Patients with latent TB and then they also get the infection of HIV, they will experience a quickly progress from latent to active tuberculosis. HIV can affect the performance of the body immune system, and this can decrease the ability of immune system to control TB bacteria.
That’s why, both HIV and TB has a deadly link, which can drive the serious progress for each other. In other words, individuals who have HIV are many times more likely to have tuberculosis and the progress from latent to active TB may also run more quickly than other individuals who don’t have HIV.
What are factors that increase your risk?
There is a chance for anyone to have TB. But the risk-rate of getting the infection is different from person to person -- in other words, there are some conditions /factors that can put somebody at higher risk of getting TB than others. Take a few minutes to read the following risk factors of tuberculosis!
Factors associated with your environment!
These include:
Certain conditions that affect the body immune system
As mentioned before, the contribution of the body immune system is so crucial to fight TB bacteria. Therefore, your risk can increase if you have a weakened immune system.
The following are some common health conditions or certain medications that can weaken the immune system of your body:
How to prevent tuberculosis?
What you should do?
Since tuberculosis (particularly for active TB phase) is contagious disease, the goal of the treatment is also focused on how to eliminate the risk of the disease to spread to others. If you have active TB, below are some common tips to protect your family & friends from getting sick:
Once you get the infection of bacteria that cause tuberculosis, the symptoms doesn’t develop quickly. The bacteria of this disease are very slow moving, that’s why the progress of the disease and symptoms usually develop slowly. Even there are some patients who don’t experience any sign of the disease until many years after they were infected.
Cause of tuberculosis
This disease is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (a kind of slow-growing bacteria that usually maturate in certain areas of the body (particularly parts that have lots of blood and O2 ‘oxygen’ -- like the lungs). Mycobacterium tuberculosis can spread from an infected individual to others through the mechanism of microscopic droplets that are released /loosed into the air.
The condition when tuberculosis is contagious often called as ‘active TB’ -- there is also a non-contagious condition of the disease or called as ‘latent TB’. The bacteria can be relatively easier to spread to others when TB occurs in the lungs. In this condition, the infection can spread easily when patient laughs, coughs, sings, sneezes, or even when she /he takes a breath.
But for case of tuberculosis that doesn’t affect the lungs (when the disease affects other parts of the body that are also rich in blood and O2), the spread of infection to others is relatively more difficult.
Fortunately, most patients with contagious TB or active TB will be no longer contagious after had the right drug and treatment.
Tuberculosis and HIV /AIDS
The number of patients with TB increased drastically since 1980 due to the spread of deathly virus what we call as HIV (a kind of virus that is responsible for the cause of AIDS).
Patients with latent TB and then they also get the infection of HIV, they will experience a quickly progress from latent to active tuberculosis. HIV can affect the performance of the body immune system, and this can decrease the ability of immune system to control TB bacteria.
That’s why, both HIV and TB has a deadly link, which can drive the serious progress for each other. In other words, individuals who have HIV are many times more likely to have tuberculosis and the progress from latent to active TB may also run more quickly than other individuals who don’t have HIV.
What are factors that increase your risk?
There is a chance for anyone to have TB. But the risk-rate of getting the infection is different from person to person -- in other words, there are some conditions /factors that can put somebody at higher risk of getting TB than others. Take a few minutes to read the following risk factors of tuberculosis!
Factors associated with your environment!
These include:
- Having a close contact to somebody with tuberculosis, especially active TB.
- You are a health professional so thus there is more chance of you getting a contact with someone who may have active TB or untreated TB.
- You work /live in crowded population or other certain conditions (such as military barracks, prisons, homeless shelters, etc) where there is more chance of you contacting more people (one or some of them may have untreated active tuberculosis).
- Living in regions or areas where untreated TB are common (like Eastern Europe, Caribbean countries, certain Asia countries, etc), -- or you travel from /to these regions.
Certain conditions that affect the body immune system
As mentioned before, the contribution of the body immune system is so crucial to fight TB bacteria. Therefore, your risk can increase if you have a weakened immune system.
The following are some common health conditions or certain medications that can weaken the immune system of your body:
- AIDS that can be caused by the infection of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).
- Kidney disease, particularly in the end-stage of the disease.
- Taking certain medicines (like medicines purposed to avoid rejection of a transplanted organ, long-term corticosteroids, and drugs to treat psoriasis & rheumatoid arthritis). Furthermore, there are also certain drugs to treat Chron’s disease that may weaken the immune system.
- Diabetes, especially for people with diabetes but they cannot control it as well.
- Older adults, because they tends to have low resistance.
- Some types of cancer and the cancer’s treatments (like chemotherapy).
- Sometimes malnutrition also can weaken the immune system.
- Being underweight (particularly 10 percent or more under your healthy weight).
- Having a chronic lung disease.
- Have a history of gastrectomy (gastric bypass surgery).
How to prevent tuberculosis?
What you should do?
- It’s much better to not spend long periods of time in enclosed /stuffy rooms with someone with active tuberculosis until she/he has been treated for at least two weeks or more.
- For people who work in an environment that cares patients with untreated TB, they must use some protective accessories to minimize the risk of getting infection - like a face mask.
- If you have a family member with active TB, encourage & help him/her to completely follow all instructions of the treatment.
Since tuberculosis (particularly for active TB phase) is contagious disease, the goal of the treatment is also focused on how to eliminate the risk of the disease to spread to others. If you have active TB, below are some common tips to protect your family & friends from getting sick:
- In the first week of the treatment, don’t go to public area (like your office or school) and avoid sleeping in a room with your family!
- Make sure your bedroom has good ventilation for air circulation. Once again, you should clearly understand that germs of tuberculosis can spread more easily in the enclosed areas! Therefore, if the weather of your local area is not too cold, don’t forget to open windows of your room and use a fan if necessary to promote better air circulation.
- When you cough, sneeze, or laugh -- use a tissue to cover your mouth, and then put the used tissue in a provided bag (don’t forget to seal it & throw it away)!
- In the first 3 weeks of treatment, use a surgical mask if you are around other people!
- And follow all instructions from your doctor and completely finish the entire course of your medication! It is so important, because when you skips doses or stop your treatment early -- there is a chance of the TB bacteria to be more powerful and will be more difficult to be treated!
Vaccinations: Are they effective to prevent tuberculosis?
Vaccinations (like BCG (bacillus Calmette-Guerin)) are one of popular choices to prevent TB in countries where this disease is common. But unfortunately, they are only effective to prevent this disease in kids, and not too effective for adults. Discuss more with your doctor for more in-depth information!
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Reference: MayoClinic and WebMD
Image credit to ‘shutterstock’ for illustration
