March is TB awareness month. TB is an airborne bacterial disease that is spread when a person who is infected with active pulmonary (lung) TB, coughs, laughs, speaks, sneezes, sings or spits, causing invisible droplets of sputum to spray into the air.
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With March being TB Awareness Month , the Independent Community Pharmacy Association (ICPA) is spotlighting tuberculosis (TB), a disease that continues to pose a significant global health challenge.
Marked annually on March 24, World TB Day serves as a crucial reminder of the ongoing battle against this infectious disease.
TB, an airborne bacterial infection, can affect anyone, irrespective of age, class, race, or gender.
It spreads when an individual infected with active pulmonary TB releases infectious droplets into the air by coughing, sneezing, laughing, or even talking. These droplets are especially hazardous in confined spaces with poor ventilation, such as crowded public transport or small rooms without fresh air circulation.
Jackie Maimin, the CEO of ICPA, said many people live with latent TB, meaning that they do not get ill from it unless their immune system is weakened through another disease, such as HIV/Aids or cancer.
“Pulmonary TB is the most common form of TB infection, however TB can also lodge in other parts of the body, including bone, cartilage, lymph nodes, other internal organs and even the skin.
“It is vitally important to adhere strictly to a TB prescription because if treatment is disrupted and not completed, or not taken as prescribed, there is a real threat that the person could develop drug-resistant TB,” said Maimin.
TB is treated with antibiotics and within a few weeks many people report that they feel completely better.
Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) strains are resistant to two or more of the medicines that are normally prescribed for the treatment of TB - meaning that the disease is more difficult to treat.
There are also extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) strains, which have developed resistance to the most effective anti-TB drugs. This makes XDR-TB extremely difficult to treat and usually requires hospitalisation of the sufferer.
Maimin urged the public to dispel the stigma surrounding TB infections.
She said people who suspect they may have TB or have been exposed to someone who has, can be screened at their local pharmacy.
“If it is not diagnosed and treated in time, all forms of TB can have severe consequences. The good news is that most TB infections can be cured without lasting effects, provided they are detected and treated early. On the other hand, without treatment, the disease can be potentially fatal,” said Maimin.
Symptoms of pulmonary TB:
A cough that persists for more than two weeks
Flecks of blood in the sputum in more advanced stages
Fever
Sweating at night
Pain when breathing or coughing
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Loss of appetite
Unexplained weight loss
How to prevent the spread of TB:
Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough
Open windows to allow fresh air to circulate in offices and at home
Quit smoking and limit your intake of alcohol
Follow a healthy diet
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
Learn about TB and ensure your friends and family are informed about the disease
If you have any symptoms of TB or have been in close contact with someone infected with TB, get tested for TB
If you are on TB treatment, take the medicines exactly as prescribed and complete the course of treatment