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
MALAYSIAN ASSOCIATION
FOR THE PREVENTION OF TUBERCULOSIS
