World Tuberculosis Day (TB) is celebrated around the world every year on March 24, and although most people believe that tuberculosis only affects the lungs, the disease can also affect other organs. The lungs, or pulmonary system of the body, are most commonly affected by tuberculosis, but other organs can also be damaged, a condition known as extrapulmonary tuberculosis, in which other organs that could be affected include the lining of the lungs (pleural TB), the central organ, includes the nervous system (TB meningitis), bones and joints (musculoskeletal system), lymph nodes, abdomen (abdominal TB), kidney and bladder (urogenital TB), and blood, literally every system of the body except hair and nails!
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Samir Garde, Pulmonologist at Global Hospital in Mumbai’s Parel: “Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial disease that most commonly affects the lungs. Other organs such as the kidneys, spine or brain can also be affected. TB is primarily transmitted through the air, for example when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It can also cause active infection after being inactive in someone who has been previously exposed. A distinction must be made between infection with tuberculosis pathogens and active tuberculosis disease.”
He revealed the stages of tuberculosis as:
1st exposure. This occurs when a person comes into contact with the TB bacilli because of exposure to droplets from another person with pulmonary tuberculosis. A plain chest x-ray and no signs or symptoms of the disease are observed in the exposed individual.
2. Infection with latent tuberculosis. This occurs when a person has tuberculosis germs in their system but no symptoms of the disease. The patient’s immune system protects the TB germs. In most infected people, TB remains dormant throughout their lives. This person would have a positive skin or blood test for tuberculosis, but a normal X-ray or only scars (since the immune system has been fighting bacterial invasion) on the chest X-ray. Other regions of the body would show no signs of current infection.
3. clinical tuberculosis (TB). This person would show signs and symptoms of active tuberculosis infection. The person may have a positive or negative skin or blood test for tuberculosis and a positive chest x-ray, a sputum sample showing signs of active TB, or another result that suggests a current illness.
Speaking about the possible TB complications, the health expert said: “If pulmonary tuberculosis is not treated early or properly, it can cause long-term (permanent) lung damage. TB can also infect the bones, vertebrae, brain and spinal cord, lymph glands, and other parts of the body. It can damage such regions, resulting in either short-term (temporary) or long-term (permanent) effects. Uncontrolled tuberculosis can be fatal. Nevertheless, tuberculosis remains one of the leading infectious causes of death worldwide.”
dr Samir Garde suggested what can be done to avoid tuberculosis and recommended:
- Robust immunity is most important
- You should eat a high-protein diet (please consult your doctor/nutritionist).
- Also, do regular physical exercise such as walking/jogging in the fresh air, yoga, weight training, etc
- Keep your comorbidities under control such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, etc
- See your doctor regularly if you are taking immunomodulating drugs (e.g.: rheumatoid arthritis, cancer chemotherapy, immunosuppressive drugs after organ transplantation, etc.)
- In children, BCG vaccination is one of the most important interventions to prevent any serious form of TB.
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