What is TB?
TB is an infectious (yet curable), airborne disease that's caused by a germ that attacks and damages the lungs. It can be easily passed to others through coughing or sneezing.
How are people infected?
When an infected person coughs, sneezes or spits saliva onto the ground, the germs are spread into the surrounding air and remain there for a long time. If you inhale that air, you can breathe in the germs and get infected.
What are some of the factors that contribute to the weakening of the immune system?
What are the early symptoms?
Persistent cough for more than two weeks | General feeling of illness or fever for more than two weeks | Drenching night sweats | Unexplained weight loss | Tiredness |
If not treated early TB symptoms will worsen and will include:
Continued, severe coughing | Pain in the chest while breathing or coughing | Discoloured or bloody sputum (mucus coughed up from the lungs) | Tiredness |
Loss of appetite | Weight loss | Drenching night sweats | Mild fever or chills |
Where and how do I get tested?
You can get free testing at your nearest clinic. Testing for adults is done by taking 2 sputum samples and the results are normally available after 2 to 3 days.
Testing for children is done using skin tests and chest X-rays.
TB treatment
TB treatment is free at clinics. TB can only be cured if the full course of treatment, which can be from 6 to 8 months, is completed. People who stop treatment are likely to develop multi-drug resistance, making the TB more difficult to cure. Treatment is in 2 phases:
The intensive phase is when 4 different drugs in tablet form are given for 5 days a week, for 2 to 3 months.
The second phase is the continuation phase, in which 2 drugs are given for 5 days a week, for 4 to 5 months.
First-time TB clients must be treated for 6 months, while clients who have had TB before must take TB medicine for 8 months. If there are side effects from the medication, the client must return to the clinic.
Children with TB are given different medicines and treated for 4 months only. To try and prevent TB, babies should be immunised with the BCG vaccine, which is available free of charge at all primary healthcare clinics.
Note: Like with any other medication, there can be side effects to TB treatment. The common side effects are rashes, nausea and vomiting. You should not stop using your medication as the side effects usually disappear after certain time.
What is MDR TB?
Multi-Drug Resistant TB (MDR TB) is a specific form of TB that does not respond to “ordinary” TB treatment. As a result it is difficult to treat and needs specialised treatment.
Eight things you should know about MDR tuberculosis
How to prevent TB
Some more useful tips if you have or someone you know has TB
Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette can prevent the spread of TB. If you have to sneeze, cough or spit, you must:
Even though the Western Cape has the highest TB cure rate in South Africa, the risk for new infections remains a serious challenge. More work is required to change behaviour and address misconceptions at an individual level, as well as efforts to address the challenges facing our communities.
For more information and medical advice, please go to one of your local primary healthcare clinics or TB hospitals.
TB Statistics for South Africa – National & provincial
The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners are promoting dialogue and collaboration that unites individuals and communities in new ways to end the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic.
Four sub-themes under the “Unite to End TB” theme that WHO is promoting are:
The aim is to ensure early diagnoses, successful treatment of tuberculosis (TB) patients and strengthening of partnerships between local and provincial health authorities and citizens, to eliminate the threat of TB in the Western Cape by working better together.
South Africa has adopted the new UNAIDS strategy aimed at bringing about an HIV free generation called the ’90 90 90’ strategy. This strategy aims to ensure that by 2020,
The ’90 90 90’ strategy has also been adapted for TB, so that by 2020,
The aim with this inclusive strategy is that no one will be left out. The increasing number of people who are infected with TB will only be manageable if those who have been diagnosed with TB complete their treatment.
Together, we can stop the spread of TB: