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Tuberculosis, also called TB, is one of humanity’s oldest and most persistent diseases. Right through prehistoric times, to ancient civilizations, to the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, it has resulted in millions of deaths worldwide, leading to mass mortality. But thanks to modern medicine in the 21st century, we have made progress.
However, despite this success, worldwide TB is still prevalent in middle- and low-income countries (even in India). Thankfully, the risk of TB can be reduced by early diagnosis, which helps save lives.
So, what exactly is TB? How is it spread? How does it impact lungs? And how does early diagnosis save lives? With inputs from a leading lung transplant surgeon in Hyderabad, Dr. Gopala Krishna Gokhale, let us find answers to all these questions today.
What is Tuberculosis? How Does It Impact Lungs?
Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, TB is a severe infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs. The bacterium commonly settles and multiplies in the respiratory system, gradually causing tissue damage. It usually starts with an initial infection that happens when the person inhales tiny droplets that carry TB bacteria. These droplets travel through airways and house themselves inside the small air sacs of the lungs.
When the immune system is unable to contain the infection, the bacteria begin to multiply, causing tissue damage. This disrupts the lungs, triggers an immune reaction, spreads through other parts of the lungs, and leads to persistent cough (with blood and mucus), breathlessness, and fatigue in the process. Over time, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and spread to other parts of the body, leading to extrapulmonary TB, which can affect the spine, kidneys, brain, and lymph nodes.
Tuberculosis: Symptoms, Causes & Risk Factors
As stated earlier, the cause of tuberculosis is the specific type of bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which spreads from person to person through the air. “When a person with TB coughs, speaks, sneezes, or even sings, small respiratory droplets containing bacteria are released into the air. When others inhale these droplets, the bacteria enter their lungs, and they may become infected,” says Dr. Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale, the best lung transplant surgeon in Hyderabad.
Persistent cough, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, fever, night sweats, fatigue, tiredness, loss of appetite, and chills are some of the most common symptoms of tuberculosis. In cases where tuberculosis spreads to other parts of the body (extrapulmonary TB), symptoms will vary depending on the affected organ (e.g., back pain for spinal TB, swollen lymph nodes for lymph node TB, or headaches in brain TB).
Individuals with weakened immune systems (due to diabetes, cancer, malnutrition, or medications that suppress immunity), people living near someone with active TB or in overcrowded conditions, young children, and people with latent TB infection tend to have a higher chance of contracting tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis: Why is Early TB Diagnosis Important?
“The symptoms of tuberculosis may vary from person to person and by the severity of infection. As a result, people often overlook the condition, assuming it to be a typical case of fever or cough. Over time, this can lead to rapid spread of the bacteria and make the condition even more severe. The damage done by the bacteria tends to be irreversible, which is why early diagnosis is paramount when it comes to tuberculosis,” says lung surgeon Dr. Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale.
In addition to this, early diagnosis of tuberculosis is always considered critical. At the early stage, it helps improve treatment outcomes, increases the chances of full recovery, prevents drug resistance, reduces the risk of mortality, and lightens the economic burden on patients. But more importantly, it reduces the chance of transmission and future outbreaks, which were the leading cause of mass mortality due to TB in earlier centuries.