Get to know TB

Tuberculosis (TBC) or TB is an infectious disease caused by a bacterial infection. TB generally attacks the lungs, but can also attack other organs, such as the kidneys, spine and brain. Tuberculosis (TB) in Indonesia ranks third after India and China with 824 thousand cases and 93 thousand deaths per year or the equivalent of 11 deaths per hour. To find and treat these cases, the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) plans to carry out a large-scale screening to be carried out this year.

The symptom that often occurs is a long cough, but it is not always diagnosed with TB, therefore we find out more about where the problem is, it can be from the lung tissue, for example, there is pneumonia, TB, pneumonia or also lung cancer, it can also be from the respiratory tissue due to smoking for example COPD or allergies to the airways for example in Asthma, then also from covering the lungs for example there is fluid in the lung cavities.

The examination that must be carried out to confirm whether this is TB or not is by examining the patient's sputum. You can use expert genes or molecular rapid tests and AFB sputum with acid-resistant bacilli. Patients with symptoms of accumulation of fluid in the chest cavity must have an additional examination of pleural fluid analysis

The following are the symptoms of TB

1. Cough for more than 2 weeks accompanied by chest tightness

2. Weight loss

3. Fever that doesn't go down even though it's already on medication

TB can be cured when patients who have TB disease are obedient in undergoing treatment according to the rules.