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Every year on March 24th, many come together for World TB day. This annual event commemorates the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacillus that causes tuberculosis (TB). It is designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis.

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A health care provider can diagnose tuberculosis (TB) using a combination of: Medical history, Physical exam, TB skin or blood test, Chest x-ray, and Laboratory tests.

Other tests that may be used to diagnose TB include:

Sputum smear and culture: To check for TB germs in the lungs

Urine and tissue samples: To check for TB germs in other parts of the body

Sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear: A diagnostic tool for pulmonary TB

Nucleic acid amplification (NAA) testing: A diagnostic tool for pulmonary TB

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Although there is no for sure way to completely prevent the spread of TB, there are many measures that can be put in place to reduce the spread. The BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guérin) is a live vaccine against tuberculosis. Hand washing is another way to reduce the spread. Washing your hands after coughing or sneezing slow down the spread of TB. Using a fan or open windows to move fresh air around.

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People with latent TB infection, your health care provider may begin drug treatments. Most latent TB infections are treated for three to four months. Active TB disease may be treated for 4-9 months. Tuberculosis specialists will determine which drugs are best for you. If you have a latent TB infection, you might need to take only one or two types of drugs. Active TB disease requires taking several drugs.

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A person with latent or inactive TB will have no symptoms. Active TB symptoms may vary. Symptoms of TB can vary depending on the age of the patient:

Teenagers and adults: Symptoms are similar

Children ages 1–12: May have a fever that won't go away or weight loss

Infants: May not grow or gain weight as expected, or have symptoms from swelling around the brain or spinal cord

night sweats

Fever

Chills

Loss of appetite

Weight loss

Weakness or fatigue

Chest pain

Coughing up blood or phlegm

A cough that lasts three weeks or longer

Other symptoms of TB are: bone pain, dark urine, yellow skin or eyes, itchy skin, nausea or stomach upset, and skin rash and other reactions.

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Tuberculosis spreads from person to person. When someone with active TB cough or speaks. TB germs are more likely to spread indoor areas or other places with poor circulation. People nearby could breathe in these germs and become infected. These germs can stay in the air for several hours, depending on the environment. People with latent TB cannot spread the infection.

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Tuberculosis affect adults in their productive years, but all age groups are at risk. However, some groups are at higher risk.

People with weakened immune systems: This includes people with HIV, diabetes, cancer, or who have had an organ transplant

People who have been recently infected: The risk of developing TB disease is higher for people who have been recently infected with TB germs

People who live in high-risk settings: This includes people who live in or work in prisons, nursing homes, homeless shelters, or drug treatment facilities

People who are foreign-born: This includes people who have immigrated within the last 5 years from areas that have a high TB incidence

People who use substances: This includes people who inject illicit drugs or abuse alcohol

People who are medically underserved: This includes low-income populations

People who are healthcare workers: This includes healthcare workers who serve high-risk clients

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Pulmonary TB

-Affects the lungs and throat

Extrapulmonary TB

-Affects the bones, lymph nodes, and/or skin

Military TB

- Is rare but occurs when the TB bacteria enters the bloodstream and spread to all parts of the body

TB meningitis

- Occurs in the tissues surrounding the brain or spinal cord

Drug-resistant TB

-Caused by tuberculosis organisms that are resistant to the drugs normally used to treat the disease

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Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne bacterial infection lung affecting illness caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, it can also affect other parts of the body. While contagious, TB is not easliy spread from person to person. Once tuberculosis multiply and survive it’s called a TB infection. TB infection could be in one of three stages: primary, lantent, or active. Not everyone who is infected with TB germs becomes sick.