{"id":8827,"date":"2025-06-30T16:58:21","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T08:58:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wise-mag.com\/?p=8827"},"modified":"2025-06-30T17:10:49","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T09:10:49","slug":"tuberculosis-how-do-we-get-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wise-mag.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/30\/tuberculosis-how-do-we-get-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Tuberculosis \u2013 How do we get it?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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I bumped into a girl in my office and she was telling me that she had tuberculosis (TB) and was home quarantined for 2 weeks. Her symptoms were not bad hence her quarantine period was short but she is still on continuous antibiotics and every 2-week follow up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a) So, what exactly is Tuberculosis (TB)?  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuberculosis (TB) is a lung infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tuberculosis bacteria that is rod shaped. The name of the bacteria is Myobacterium tuberculosis. <\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are mainly 3 types of TB: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Latent\u00a0TB\u00a0infection: <\/strong>This is a dormant TB infection where the immune system prevents the TB bacteria from infecting the lungs. The bacteria are still alive but not active. Many times, there are no symptoms during latent\u00a0TB\u00a0infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Active TB disease:<\/strong> Active TB infection happens when the immune system cannot curb the infection anymore. This bacterium affects the lungs only. Active TB disease may happen right after infection but many times, it happens months or years of latent TB infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Active TB disease outside the lungs:<\/strong> As per the name suggests, this infection occurs outside the lungs. This infection can be spread to other parts of the body such as brain, spinal cord, liver and kidney. This condition is usually known extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Symptoms vary depending on which part of the body or organ that is infected.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The two most common type of TB<\/em><\/strong> out there.<\/strong><\/em> Active TB outside of the lungs or better known as miliary TB is not as common as the two.<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

While TB is curable with medications, it remains a significant global health concern especially in the lower income group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How is TB actually spread?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TB is mainly spread by air<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When a person with active TB coughs, speaks, or sings, the TB bacteria may stay in the air for 10 hours. People nearby may breathe in these germs and become infected. TB germs are more likely to spread in places where ventilation is limited such as indoors or closed areas. Hence, slums and offices are one of those areas where TB is passed rapidly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To note, TB germs are not spread by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n