Tuberculosis prevention

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that most often affects the respiratory system, although tuberculosis of other organs and systems (nervous, digestive, lymphatic, genitourinary, meninges, bones and joints, skin, eyes and other organs) also occurs.

Tuberculosis infection occurs in two ways: through the air and through food.

The main source of infection is a person with tuberculosis, who releases tiny droplets of sputum and saliva, which contain many pathogens of tuberculosis, when coughing and sneezing.

Almost anyone can become infected with tuberculosis. But people from the so-called risk group are most susceptible.

These include:

• People who live, work, and often communicate with TB patients (family members, friends, and work colleagues);
• Prisoners;
• People without a fixed place of residence and work;
• Alcoholics and drug addicts;
• People suffering from diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and especially HIV-infected people.

The first symptoms and signs of tuberculosis are:

1. Prolonged cough — dry or with sputum (more than 3 weeks), sometimes with an admixture of blood;
2. Loss of appetite, weight loss;
3. General malaise, weakness, sweating (especially at night), decreased performance, fatigue;
4. Periodic fever, chest pain.

The main methods of detecting tuberculosis are bacteriological and X-ray examination.

Tuberculosis prevention

First of all, tuberculosis prevention among the entire population is based on measures aimed at increasing the body’s defenses.:

• compliance with the correct working regime,
• rational and timely nutrition,
• Abstaining from smoking, drugs, and alcohol abuse,
• taking multivitamins in the spring,
• hardening,
• physical education classes,
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
• Preventive examination of the population (X-ray fluorography) at least once a year.
• Carrying out activities that improve the living and industrial environment (reducing crowding and dustiness of premises, improving ventilation, etc.).
• Preventing patients with Mycobacterium tuberculosis from working in medical and children’s institutions, educational institutions, public catering enterprises, public utilities, food and pharmaceutical industries, and public transport.
• Early detection of tuberculosis patients and their treatment.
• Health education of the population, the formation of a healthy lifestyle.

Remember!

Tuberculosis is easier to prevent than to treat later.