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    World TB Day: Once regarded as a death sentence, tuberculosis is mostly curable today; six red flags to watch out for

    Synopsis

    Men, the elderly are more vulnerable to TB.

    tuberculosisiStock
    The WHO (World Health Organization) Global TB Report estimates that about 3 million people in India suffer from TB.
    Once deemed as an incurable disease, tuberculosis, or TB, is a mostly curable health condition today. However, it remains a global health problem.

    A Brief History Of TB
    Although TB-related mortality rates have mostly gone down a lot in the 21st century, a diagnosis of tuberculosis was considered as good as a death sentence in the ancient and medieval ages.

    Back in the day, it was considered the scourge of mankind. While there were other diseases that claimed the lives of people en masse such as smallpox and plague, their reign of terror was mostly temporary. However, for the longest time, TB was a health menace that refused to go away.

    The public attitude towards TB was aptly summarised by writer John Bunyan, who described the disease as the “captain of all these men of death” in his book ‘The Life & Death Of Mr. Badman’ (1680).

    References to the disease can be found in multiple historical texts. The earliest reference was found in the Puranas where the disease is called Yakshma, meaning ‘wasting disease’.

    The first breakthrough in the quest for curing TB came in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch discovered the bacterium- Mycobacterium tuberculosis) the bacillus at the root of the disease. The first ‘World Tuberculosis Day’ was celebrated on the 100th anniversary (March 24) of this discovery.

    Later on, the discovery of streptomycin, para-aminosalicylic acid, and isoniazid in the 1940s, finally ended TB’s reign of terror.

    • India’s War With Tuberculosis
    The WHO (World Health Organization) Global TB Report estimates that about 3 million people in India suffer from TB, and over half a million deaths are caused by this disease. According to the National TB Prevalence Survey 2019-2021, the prevalence of pulmonary TB (PTB) was 316 per million people. Men, the elderly, people suffering from malnourishment, chain smokers, and alcoholics were said to be more vulnerable to PTB.

    Symptoms:
    • A persistent cough that lasts for more than two weeks.
    • Coughing up blood.
    • Feeling weak all the time.
    • A nagging sense of fatigue.
    • Loss of weight and appetite.
    • Breathlessness and fever.

    Things To Remember:
    • TB is very much treatable. But early diagnosis is needed to prevent it from spreading.
    • While infants receive the Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine, it is not enough. If an adult comes in contact with someone diagnosed with TB, don’t delay the doctor’s consultation.
    • If you or a family member has tuberculosis, maintain social distance. Reduce the risk of infection by washing your hands, mouth, and nose after sneezing.

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