What You Should Know About TB  
 
 
What is Tuberculosis?
     
 
Tuberculosis is a disease that is caused by germs called Tubercle Bacilli.   It usually attacks the lungs of a person.

 

How Does TB Spread?
     

TB spreads from a person who has active TB.

When he coughs, sneezes or snores TB germs escape into the air.

Persons nearby breathe in the TB germs.

TB spreads to those who spend a lot of time with a TB patient with active TB , such as family members, friends, co-workers, or classmates.

 

What Are The Signs of TB?
     
   
*
 Cough continuing for more than 2 weeks and not responding to usual treatment,
*
 Fever ( usually a slight fever),
*
 Night sweats,
*
 Feeling of tiredness,
*
 Loss of appetite,
*
 Chest pain.

 

What Should I Do If I Have the Above Signs?
     

You should go for an early medical check-up to make sure you do not have TB disease.

 

But Medical Examinations Are Expensive!
     

NO! The Government provides tests for TB , free of charge at hospitals and clinics.
You will get a test done on your sputum to make sure you do not have TB germs in it. You may also get a free Chest X-ray , if this is needed.

 

Is TB disease curable?
     
Yes, WE NOW HAVE POWERFUL DRUGS TO TREAT TB.

 

Can I stop taking medicines if I feel better?
     

NO! Because TB germs are tough germs and it takes a long time TO KILL THEM ALL.

If a TB patient does not take the full course of treatment as advised by the doctor, some germs remain alive in the body, and start attacking the lungs and other parts of the body again.

This time the disease may become worse, because when the treatment is not fully completed , the TB germs become resistant to some of the TB drugs.

This is called multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB). It also occurs when medicine is not taken regularly as advised.

MDR TB can be very serious and also takes longer to cure.

TB PATIENTS MUST TAKE THE FULL COURSE OF MEDICINES AS ADVISED BY THE DOCTOR.
THIS MAY TAKE ABOUT 6 MONTHS.

 

Is TB a serious problem in Malaysia?
     

Yes, it is still a serious health problem. The number of new cases reported have been increasing over the recent years as follows:

1995
11,778
1996
12,902
1997
13,539
1998
14,150
1999
14,908
2000
15,051

 

Can I help in any way to stop the spread of TB in this country?
     
Yes. You surely can help in the "Fight against TB".
•
 Tell your family, your friends, and your colleagues about this problem (Tuberculosis).
•
 Tell them about the signs of TB disease.
•
 Encourage those with signs of TB to go for a medical check-up early.
•
 Advise those with TB disease to take their full course of treatment as advised by the doctor.

 

Help eliminate
Tuberculosis
from our country