Tuberculosis

The history of TB is as old as that of the human beings. TB has been referred to in our Vedas also. It has also been talked about in the Indian Medical texts of Charaka and Susruta in the 600 A.D.

We can understand the extent of neglect, this disease is subjected to, if we know that, on an average one Indian dies every minute especially when the disease is easily detectable and completely curable.

The bacterium of Tuberculosis (which is known in short as TB) was discovered by a German doctor named Robert Koch in 1882. This disease is also called as Koch’s disease in his honour. The name of the bacteria is Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. Unfortunately the treatment for that disease was not found for the next sixty years.

World wide, around 8 million new TB Cases are registered every year, Out of which 1.5 million cases are from our country itself. It has been observed that one Indian per minute dies with this disease.

How it starts

TB can attack any part of our body. Mostly the lungs are vulnerable. Usually one contracts this disease when he inhales the air polluted by the TB bacterium.

The Bacterium goes into the air when the TB patient coughs, spits, talks or blows his nose to clear the mucus. When another person inhales this air, the bacterium enters his body.

The moment the Bacterium enters, the body produces mucus to capture the bacterium. This bacterium filled mucus, is thrown out through his cough, spitting or by blowing the nose.

If any more TB bacterium is left in the body, they are destroyed by the white blood cells.

If the bacterium is not destroyed by the above two methods, they stay put in the patient, and develop in the respiratory tract.

Some of the conditions, which promote the TB infection are: Lack of nutritious food, living in congested localities, not practising clean habits, and presence of diabetes, AIDS, measles and whooping cough.

TB Infection

At the time when the TB Bacterium is trying to settle down in the body, the white blood cells cover them and transport them to some special glands. The glands trap these Bacterium and prevent them from spreading to the other parts of the body.

The susceptibility of a patient to TB is totally dependent on whether the white cells are dominant or the TB bacterium is dominant.

If TB Bacterium are more is number and stronger, the white blood cells get defeated and the patient succumbs to TB.

On the other hand, if the white blood cells have an edge over the bacterium they win over the TB.

Once the TB Bacterium has an upper hand, TB infects the person and the bacterium then develops in leaps and bounds.

At the place of TB infection, a small lump appears which is called Tubercle. This is an indicator of primary infection.

TB can attack any part of our body like lymph glands, bones, joints, skin, intestines, kidneys etc.

Primary focus

Almost everybody in our country is subjected to TB Bacterium during his child hood. We all carry the primary focus of TB all the time.

TB primary focus shall be dormant or flares up and spread to lungs and other parts depending entirely on the immunity strength of our body. In a normal healthy being, the primary infection is dormant through out his life. On the other hand, if he is weak in immunity, bed ridden with lack of good food, old age and infected with diabetes or uses some cancer antidotes – he succumbs to the TB Bacterium and becomes a patient.

Symptoms

Depending on the infected part TB symptoms change. Not only lungs other parts of the body can also be infected. Lymph glands, bones, joints, skin, intestines, brain, kidneys are examples of some of the parts that can be infected.

Our immunity system prevents infection of the TB bacterium in our body. Those with weak immunity system succumb to this disease.

TB of Lungs

The general symptom is cough, which is persistent.

The cough of TB doesn’t generally reduce by any cough syrup. Any body who has been coughing for over two weeks, with a cough that doesn't sunside with the use of any medicine can suspect the attack of TB.

In this disease, cough is accompanied by fever, which is present in the evening; but goes away in the morning. The patient becomes weak considerably in about a week’s time.

As the entire body fights back to control the infection, he looses weight fast. He does not take sufficient food, as he does not feel hungry.

Once the lungs are infected, he coughs and coughs and when he spits, blood is found in his sputum'.

He may have chest pain.

With all these symptoms he feels unwell, unable to participate in any activity, he sticks to bed.

TB of Lymph glands

There are many lymph glands all over our body. These glands produce defence cells to attack the bacterium that infect any part of the body.

When the immune system becomes weak TB attacks that part. Then the lymph glands get swollen.

TB generally first attacks the gland near the neck. Then it spreads to the glands in armpits and groins.

TB of spinal cord

This happens rarely. When this state is reached, the spine becomes stiff, painful and back droops with a hump.

Near the place, where the spine is infected with TB, a lump with pus is formed. This is called cold abscess. Like other wounds we may not have pain because of this. But if it is neglected, paralysis may set in.

Bone and joints TB

In this type of TB, loin joints, knee joints, ankle joints, bones of the feet, shoulder joints, arm joints, wrist joints and the bones of hands are attacked mostly. But some time, TB may infect the bones of the joints without affecting the joint.

There will be pain in the joints with swelling. There may also be difficulty in moving the respective parts. They may limp and may become handicapped.

The muscles near the bone that is attacked by TB become weak and thin down. During nights these muscles pain a lot and in case of children, they even cry out of this.

TB of Kidneys

In this type, kidney are damaged rapidly. We may have to go for urine very often and urination will be painful. Some times blood may be present in the urine. After this, the back or spine may pain. As the time passes, it may spread to genitals also.

If the TB infects the kidneys of women they may become barren. In our country, the main reason for women going barren is kidney T.B.

TB of Abdomen

When the abdomen is infected, the symptoms are loose motions, stomach pain, vomiting, loss of appetite, high fever, swelling of abdomen.

TB of the Chest

In fact, the surrounding bag like thing of chest called Pericardium is infected in this type.

The portion of the chest near the heart will have some pain. The heart beat will be faster than usual and the respiration will be intense.

TB of Ear, Eye, Nose and Throat
If the eye is infected, the sight is lost and the eye is damaged beyond repair.

Similar to this, respiratory tract, the food tube may also be attacked. But luckily the defence mechanism is stronger in these, and their infection is very rare.

Brain TB

When the brain cells are attacked, a swelling called Tuberculoma occurs. If the membranes also are attacked the condition is called Meningitis. That is mainly prevalent in children.

Thus we can understand that TB can infect almost any part of our body. If not treated properly the entire body becomes weak, apart from that particular part getting damaged.

Spread and it’s prevention

Crores of rupees are being spent in India to keep the T.B. disease under control. It is not unfair to say that the on-set of AIDS has given way for the TB to spread fast.

Ignorance and superstitions are helping TB to spread. There are three important steps in the spread of TB.

T.B. carrier. The method of spreading. The patients susceptibility to TB. If the TB Bacterium is found in one’s sputum he can be called as a TB carrier or the cause of TB. The cause of TB limits the bacterium when he coughs, spits, blows his nose or even talks. In all these cases the TB Bacteria enter the air. When the TB carrier does any of the above without covering his mouth or nose, the splutter coming out reach the patient susceptible for TB. The susceptible patient is one whose immunity level is much lower than the normal. For example: The Aged Diabetic patients Diabetic patients Diabetic patients Smokers Children without nutritious food Children suffering from measles and whooping cough Population of slums Mining labour The patients using steroids.

Caution

In the olden days, TB was thought to attack the poor only. But now, it is attacking even the rich. The well to do get it through their house hold servants.

These servants stay in unhealthy surrounding and do not get cured when attacked by TB. In the same condition, they go for work to cook, and bring up the children, spreading TB to the masters.

Hence, it is the duty of those who employ, to be selective towards their health and have them examined at least once a year. Especially those employed in rearing the children.

Precautions
The TB infected must be detected and effective anti TB medication should be imparted. These medicines should be used for 6 to 12 months.

After a course of 2-3 weeks, the contagious quality of the patient gets controlled and the TB bacteria does not spread from him.

By following personal hygiene TB can be prevented from spreading. For example: Using a handkerchief to cover the mouth or nose while coughing or sneezing.

Those having TB should refrain from spitting in public.

If sputum is persistent, it should be collected in a vessel and it should be burnt (incinerated).

How to avoid TB

If one is a diabetic patient, it must be kept under control by occasional check up. Alcohol and smoking must be cut down. Children must be given DPT vaccine.

Finally, if one is suffering from cough continuously for over a month, he must get himself an X-ray exam. May be he is suffering from TB.