Tuberculosis is a killer disease

What is TB?

Tuberculosis is an infectious bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a germ that commonly affects the lungs. This germ that causes the TB disease (TB Bacillus) was discovered by Dr. Robert Koch in 1882. It is transmitted from one person to another through the air as droplets from the throat and lungs of people with TB. If not treated, each person with active TB infects on average 10 to 15 people every year.

When do we suspect TB in a person?

We suspect TB in anybody, who presents with cough for two weeks or more, with or without blood or cough for two or more associated with other symptoms such as chest pain, weight loss, evening fevers and night sweats, patients with lymph node swellings in the neck, axilla and other areas not associated with any trauma.

Before HIV era, 1 in 10 TB infected persons would become sick with TB disease in their lifetime. However today because of HIV, once infected with TB an HIV positive patient has the chance of developing TB disease increased five to ten times per year and up to 20 to 50 times in lifetime.

How has TB affected the world of today and where is it?

TB disease is a global pandemic ravaging the mainly poor countries and Uganda is not spared. TB is a disease of the poverty ( it affects the poor and also leads to poverty) affects mostly young adults in their most productive years. The vast majority of TB deaths are in the developing parts of the world mainly in Asia and Africa. Today TB remains the leading cause of illness and death worldwide. TB disease is the single greatest killer of people living with HIV.