Tuberculosis, or TB as it is called, is an infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs but can affect any part of the body. Caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, this illness has been around for centuries and still prevails as one of the most common diseases in the world. The bacteria progressively cloud the host immune system and gradually destroy the response to persistent infection. While there are some facts that every person should know about, unfortunately, there are also several myths surrounding this life-threatening disease. These cause unrest and fear among the masses leading to neglect and lack of proper care toward those affected. There are several myths about TB, which need to be busted. Here we will talk about the five most common myths about TB and the facts behind these.

5 Myths about TB

Myth-1: TB only affects the lungs

Fact: TB doesn’t only affect the lungs but it also affects different parts of the body.

Primarily a pulmonary disease, TB is a condition where the lungs are affected. The other side which is often overlooked but is equally important is the existence and mutations related to extrapulmonary TB. Extrapulmonary TB affects other body parts of the body such as joints, skin, bones, meninges, genitourinary tract, abdomen, pleura, lymph nodes, etc. Evidence suggests that extrapulmonary tuberculosis accounts for 15-20% of all TB cases.

Myth-2: TB is contagious in every case

Fact: TB is contagious depending on whether it is latent or active

One of the important facts to know about TB is that not every person affected by the disease has symptoms of the same. It comes out that being infected by a bacterium and showing symptoms of the same are two very different things. Research actively represents that only 5-10% of the people infected by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, actually develop the symptoms at a later stage in their lives. If the bacteria survive in your body without making you sick, this condition is called latent TB. The chances of this condition getting identified are low until it transitions into active TB. Additionally, only people with active TB transmit the disease to others. A person with latent TB infection does not feel sick and cannot transmit the disease to others as the bacteria inside them is inactive.

Myth-3: TB is incurable

Fact: TB can be cured, provided the patient is given timely medical assistance

Most people think that once a person is affected by TB, they can never be cured. This is not true. There is a wide range of antibiotics that help treat and prevent bacterial growth. However, the treatment and medications differ according to the different forms of TB, as well as the area affected, the severity of the condition, and the overall health of the patient. New vaccines and drugs are continuously manufactured and researchers all over the globe are in joint efforts to provide better medications to the patients. Timely assistance is the most stressful factor to get relief from TB as it is vital to control infections and prevent excessive damage.

Myth-4: TB is genetic

Fact: The science of genetics has zero roles to play in the development of TB

TB affects a person when TB-causing bacteria enter their system. The deposition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, contained in air droplets, onto the respiratory system and the failure of the immune system to protect the host against the bacteria, causes TB. This happens through the air as a medium as it is an air-borne disease. It is of crucial importance to understand that TB does not spread in any other manner, and it is certainly not hereditary. So, if an elderly member of your family has been affected by TB, you need not worry about contracting the same through the web of genetics.

Myth-5: TB affects only underprivileged sections of society

Fact: Unlike humans, bacteria doesn’t differentiate – TB can affect anyone who comes in contact with the bacteria

It is a popular belief that TB only affects people who come from impoverished living situations. However, this statement is not true. Yes, pathogens might survive longer in less hygienic places and poor living conditions. But saying that Mtb only affects people native to these poverty-stricken areas is misleading. Although some people are more likely to contract the disease, TB doesn’t differentiate on any grounds and can affect any person. The only concerning factor that decides the fate of a person exposed to the bacteria is intrinsic to the host, the response of the immune system and a couple of external factors as well.

Key Takeaways

Tuberculosis, one of the oldest infectious diseases killing millions of people worldwide every year is ever-evolving in nature especially now with the news of drug-resistant bacteria in the air. Despite the rapid development in the vaccine and antibiotics research to effectively cure the disease, there are more cases than ever before. With the M Tuberculosis bacteria adapting and identifying more and more targets, it is a collective responsibility of us as members of the human race to educate ourselves and others about the symptoms and prevention of the disease. To understand the disease process, it’s of key importance to bust the most common myths about the century-old disease and its disastrous afflictions. It is only when every person in the world is educated about these that we can join our hands together to win the battle against the disease.