Before the Corona virus pandemic, Tuberculosis (TB) was the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. Each year, TB causes about 154,000 deaths in Nigeria, and 1.5 million deaths globally.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis was a priority pathogen just as the Corona virus is now. The only difference is that unlike the Corona virus infection that shows symptoms in majority of cases, most of us have the TB pathogen lodged in our lungs waiting for the proper time to manifest.
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that usually affects the lungs and sometimes other organs such as the kidney, spine and brain. When a person with TB coughs, speaks or sings, this bacteria is spread through air from one person to another. Symptoms include cough with sputum and sometimes blood, weight loss, chest pain, fever and night sweat.
According to WHO, about a quarter of the world’s population has latent TB infection. Surprised? Some have active infection (infection with symptoms) while others have latent infection (hidden infection) and may come down with an active infection when the immune system is compromised by disease, old age or malnutrition.
The end TB strategy can only be achieved when we get informed and involved.
Do we go back to our careless ways of coughing, and the opposite of every other precaution we are taking now?
If you have a bad cough that has lasted for three weeks with loss of appetite and other symptoms mentioned, please go and see a doctor and get tested. While you’re at it, don’t spread it to others.
Save a life. End TB today!
Maureen.
Medtrix 