World Tuberculosis Day 24 March 2012

A scourge in SA
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that Tuberculosis or TB kills more than 1.7 million people around the world every year. A highly active TB treatment programme is in place in South Africa and infection rates have been dropping in recent years. Nevertheless TB remains a serious illness and is the leading natural cause of death in this country.

What is TB?
TB is a bacterial infection that is spread through the air when an infected person spits, coughs or sneezes. It usually affects the lungs but can spread to other organs in the body. Although some groups of people are more at risk of developing TB than others, anybody can catch the illness.

TB can be successfully treated but infected individuals must get treated as soon as possible and take their medication as directed by a doctor or nurse. TB can kill if it is left untreated.

As part of the Government Employees Medical Scheme's (GEMS) ongoing effort to educate our members and future members on a range of healthcare topics, we would like to explore certain important healthcare issues. This article looks at the subject of TB and how it can be prevented and treated this World TB Day, 24 March 2012.

Who is at risk of developing TB?
TB can stay in the air for as long as eight hours after an infected individual coughs or sneezes and you can breathe the germs in. However, catching the bug does not mean that you will develop the active form of the illness, which attacks the body.

Some people are at much greater risk of developing the illness. They include:

• Those who suffer from poor nutrition and a lack of food
• Those who live in poorly ventilated, overcrowded rooms
• Those who are in close contact with people who have TB
• Those who have illnesses such as HIV and Aids and diabetes
• Those who suffer from a lot of stress in their lives
• Those who take excessive amounts of drugs and/or alcohol

How do you know if you have TB?
The following could be signs that you have TB:

• Coughing for longer than two weeks
• Coughing up flecks of blood
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pains
• Feeling tired and weak
• Night sweats even when it is cold
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of weight

TB usually affects the lungs making it difficult to breath and if it is left untreated it can cause permanent damage to the lungs. Do not hesitate to visit your doctor or clinic should you have some of the symptoms above and be worried that you might have TB. TB can be cured and should be treated before it can do lasting damage to your health.

Treatment
TB is treated with medicines and these need to be taken as directed by a doctor or nurse for approximately six months. One is no longer infectious to other people after about two months of taking the medicines.

Treatment should not be stopped because you are feeling better or you do not like the drugs. You must take the medicine for as long as your doctor directs you to otherwise the TB will come back and you may well develop a resistant strain of the disease that is even more difficult to treat. Drug resistant forms of TB have to be treated with even stronger medicines for a longer period of time.

What can you do to avoid developing TB?
There are certain steps that you and your family can take to reduce your chances of developing TB. They include the following:

• TB is much more likely to become active in individuals who have weakened immune systems. Live a healthy lifestyle in order to keep your immune system strong. Eat healthy food, get regular exercise and reduce your stress. Give up smoking and excessive drinking.
• Always leave your windows open so that fresh air can remove TB germs from the air. Also open windows if you travel in crowded taxis, buses or trains. Do be sure to dress warmly if the weather outside is cold however.
• Make sure you and your loved ones practice proper ‘cough etiquette'. This entails turning away from others and covering your mouth when you cough. You can cough into your hand, sleeve or tissue. This shows a respect for others and helps prevent infections such as TB from being spread from person-to-person.
• Get yourself and your loved ones checked for TB.

TB can be treated
TB robs people of their energy and their lives. The good news is that it can be successfully treated, so be sure to visit your doctor or clinic if you suspect you or a loved one are suffering from it.

For any GEMS member queries please phone the GEMS call centre on 0860 00 4367 or visit our website at www.gems.gov.za. GEMS will assist you in every way possible to ensure your family's health and wellbeing.

Sources:
Pubmed Health, Pulmonary Tuberculosis - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001141/
MedicineNet.com, Tuberculosis - http://www.medicinenet.com/tuberculosis/article.htm
South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative - www.satvi.uct.ac