ACCORDING to the World Health Organization, there are about 8.8 million incident cases of TB which has contributed to over 1.3 million deaths worldwide. In the Philippines, an estimated 200,000 to 600,000 Filipinos have active TB and is the sixth leading cause of death in the country with 73 of our countrymen dying every day because of it.

Tuberculosis is an infection caused by slow-growing bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While cases usually start in the lungs, it can spread through lymph nodes and bloodstreams to affect any organ in the body. The bacteria that cause TB can be transmitted through the air making it extremely contagious. Studies show that in the Philippines, each person affected with TB can spread the disease to 10 other people each year.

“Tuberculosis is a very serious condition. It is a debilitating infection that thrives in areas of the body that are rich in blood and oxygen, such as the lungs. What makes it even more dangerous is that it is highly contagious and exposure to someone infected with TB significantly raises the chance of acquiring the condition,” explains Healthway Medical pulmonologist Dr. Johanna Ramos.

The scary thing about TB is that its symptoms aren’t indicative of having the condition. It includes unexplained weight loss, fatigue, afternoon fever, night sweats, chills, loss of appetite, and coughing accompanied by yellow or green phlegm and possibly with bloody mucus later in the disease. What’s even more alarming is that the disease can occur within the first few weeks after infection, or it can occur a few years later.

Aside from the active TB that shows the symptoms of the disease, there is also a latent TB which suppresses the infection in a dormant state. Latent TB can only be tested through skin tests usually done through routine checkups. The transition from being latent to active can only be undergone if the infected person’s immune system weakens.

People who have a higher risk of acquiring the disease aside from those in frequent contact with infected people are elderly and infants, people living in crowded and unsanitary living conditions, and those with HIV, AIDS, diabetes, or any condition that causes weakening of the immune system.

Though there are TB vaccines such as BGC or bacille Calmette-Guerin that are used to prevent childhood TB meningitis and miliary disease, its effects are not as potent with adults. Also with a more advanced strain of the disease namely MDR-TB (multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis) and XDR-TB (extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis) already spreading, it has become increasingly difficult to treat the condition.

Despite the complications, TB is a treatable disease and usually involves taking a combination of drugs. The important thing about the treatment process is that the patient should religiously take the prescribed medication in order to inhibit the spreading of the disease. This usually means confinement at home or in a hospital for two to four weeks to undergo directly observed therapy.

Prevention is also possible and it starts with early detection. “TB is preventable even for those who have already been exposed to the disease. It is important to have complete skin diagnostics, including follow-up tests, to determine whether the disease is present or not,” Dr. Ramos notes.

The spirometry test, lung volume measurement, and diffusion capacity are performed to diagnose certain types of lung diseases that cause complications in the pulmonary function.

There is still a lot of work needed to change the perception of TB in the Philippines and it starts with awareness. Knowing what to do and what to expect in specific cases could spell the difference between losing and saving a life. It also means the prevention of the spread of the disease which everybody should be vigilant about. For more information, visit www.healthway.com.ph.