FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ON TUBERCULOSIS (ENGLISH)

Q: What is Tuberculosis (TB)?

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium

tuberculosis. TB most commonly affects the lungs, when it is called pulmonary tuberculosis, but
also can involve any other organ of the body in which case it is called extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.
These FAQs are about pulmonary TB.

Q: What is TB Infection?

When a person breathes in the TB bacteria, in most cases, the body is able to get them to stop them
from growing. The bacteria become inactive, but do not die. They lie latent, and can become active
later. This state is called TB infection. People who are infected with TB do not feel sick, do not have
any symptoms, and cannot spread the disease. But they could develop TB disease at some time in
the future.

Q: What is TB Disease?

Not all people with TB infection get active TB disease. Only when people infected with the TB
bacteria start showing signs and symptoms associated with TB are they considered to have active
TB disease. Some people develop TB disease soon after becoming infected, before their immune
system can ght back. Other people may get sick later, when their immune system becomes weak for
some reason.

People with weak immune systems are more vulnerable to TB. This includes babies and young
children, people infected with HIV and those who have the following conditions: diabetes mellitus,
silicosis, cancer of the head or neck, leukemia or Hodgkin's disease, severe kidney disease,low body
weight, certain medical treatments (such as corticosteroid treatment or organ transplants)

Q: What are the symptoms of Pulmonary TB?

The most common symptoms of TB are chronic cough, fever, especially rising in the evening,
night sweats, chest pain, weight loss, loss of appetite, coughing up blood.

Q: How does a person get TB?

TB is spread primarily from person to person through infected air during close contact. The
bacteria get into the air when someone infected with TB of the lung coughs, sneezes, shouts, or
spits. A person can become infected when they inhale minute particles of the infected sputum
from the air. It is not possible to get TB by just touching the clothes or shaking the hand of
someone who is infected. TB germs spread more easily in crowded conditions as the bacteria
sometimes stay alive in the air for a few hours, especially in small closed places with no fresh
air. Fresh air scatters the germs and sunlight acts as a bactericide, killing the TB organisms.
Exposure to moderately hot temperatures for extended periods of time is sufficient to kill these
bacteria. Extra-pulmonary TB does not spread from person to person.
 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ON TUBERCULOSIS (ENGLISH)

Q: Is a person with HIV Infection more at risk of developing TB?

Yes. Because HIV infection weakens the immune system, people with TB infection and HIV infection
are at very high risk of developing TB disease. All HIV-infected people should be tested for TB. If
they have TB disease, they must take TB medicines.

Q: What tests are advised to diagnose TB?

The best way to get tested for pulmonary TB is by getting the sputum examined. The TB-causing
germs can be seen through a microscope. At least two samples of sputum should be examined for
accurate diagnosis.

The examination is available at public health facilities, often within easy reach of the patients. In the
facility, the health-care provider may ask the person suspected of TB to collect two sputum samples
and explain how to produce and collect them. It is important to carefully follow what the health-care
provider advises to make sure the diagnosis is correct.

The health-care provider may also advise a chest X-ray if the patient is suspected of having
symptoms of TB and if TB germs are not seen through the sputum examination.

Q: Are there some rapid tests to diagnose TB and drug resistance?

In 2010, WHO endorsed Xpert MTB/RIF, a rapid molecular test that can diagnose TB and rifampicin
resistance within 90 minutes.

Q: Can tuberculosis be cured?

Yes. TB can be cured if the full course of the prescribed drugs is taken regularly, and without
interruption. The WHO-approved standardized and effective cure for TB, called DOTS
(directly-observed treatment, short-course) is available in all countries of the South-East Asia
Region.

It takes at least 6–8 months of medication to completely treat the disease. It is very important that
the patient takes all the prescribed drugs for the recommended duration.

It is dangerous, both for the patient, family members and the community, if he/she stops taking
medication before the prescribed course is completed and without medical advice. The TB germs
that are still alive become even stronger, or "resistant" to the drugs. Stronger drugs are then needed
to kill these "super" TB germs if the treatment is not completed the first time.

Source:
National Tuberculosis Program (2021). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
UKOL SA TUBERCULOSIS (TAGALOG)

Q: Ano ang Tuberculosis (TB)?

Ang Tuberculosis (TB) ay isang nakahawang sakit na sanhi ng isang uri ng bakterya na tinatawag na
Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Ang TB ay pinaka-karaniwang nakakaapekto sa baga at tinatawag
itong pulmonary tuberculosis. Ngunit maaari ding kasangkot ang anumang iba pang mga organo ng
katawan kung saan ito ay tinatawag na extra-pumonary tuberculosis. Ang mga FAQs ay tungkol sa
pulmonya TB.

Q: Ano ang impeksyon ng TB?

Kapag ang isang tao ay nakalanghap ng TB bakterya, sa karamihan ng mga kaso, may kakayahan
ang katawang mapigilan ang pagdami nito. Ang bakterya ay magiging inactive, pero hindi ibig
sabihin ay mamamatay na ito. Ito ay maaari pa ring maging aktibo. Ang estadong ito ay tinatawag
na may impeksyon ng TB. Ang mga taong na-impkesyon ng TB ay hindi nakakaranas ng sakit o
sintomas, at hindi nakakapagkalat nito. Ngunit, maaari silang magkaroon ng sakit na TB sa
hinaharap.

Q: Ano ang TB Disease?

Hindi lahat ng na-impeksyon ng TB ay mayroong aktibong sakit na TB. Ang isang indibidwal ay
hinihinalang may aktibong sakit sa TB kung siya ay nahawaan ng bakterya at nagpakita ng senyales
at sintomas kaugnay ng TB. Ang ibang indibidwal ay maaaring magkaroon agad ng sakit na TB
kapag nahawaan, bago pa man makalaban ang kanilang immune system. Ang iba naman ay
maaaring hindi magsimulang magkasakit lamang kapag humina na ang kanilang immune system.

Ang mga taong may mahinang immune system ay mataas ang peligrong magkaroon ng TB.
Kabilang dito ang mga sanggol at bata, taong may HIV at ang ibang mayroong diabetes, silicosis,
kanser, leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, sakit sa bato, mababang timbang at iba pa.

Q: Ano ang sintomas ng Pulmonary TB?

Ang pinakakaraniwang sintomas ng TB ay ubo, lagnat (lalo kapag tumataas sa gabi), pagpapawis sa
gabi, pananakit ng dibdib, pagbaba ng timbang, pagkawala ng gana sa pagkain at pag-ubo ng dugo.

Q: Paano nagkakaroon ang isang taong ng TB?

Ang TB ay kumakalat mula sa isang tao patungo sa iba sa paglanghap ng hangin na may TB
bakterya. Ang bakteryang ito ay maaaring kumalat sa hangin kapag ang isang taong may TB ay
umubo, bumahing, sumigaw o dumura.

Hindi posibleng magkaroon ng TB kung hahawakan ang gamit o kung makikipagkamay sa isang
taong may TB. Ang TB bakterya ay mas mabilis kumalat sa mga matataong lugar dahil may
kakayahan itong manatili sa hangin ng pangmatagalan, lalo na sa mga kulob na lugar na walang
maayos na daloy hangin.
 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ON TUBERCULOSIS (ENGLISH)

Q: Ang isang taong may HIV ba ay may mataas na peligrong magkaroon ng TB?

Oo. Dahil ang HIV ay nagpapahina ng immune system. Kaya naman mas mataas ang kanilang
peligrong magkaroon din ng sakit na TB. Ang lahat ng mga taong may HIV ay dapat ding i-test para
sa TB. Kung mayroon man silang TB, marapat lamang na uminom rin sila ng gamot laban dito.

Q: Ano ang mga pagsusuring isinasagawa para ma-diagnose ang TB?

Gamit ang plema ng isang taong may TB, sinusuri ito gamit ang microscope. Dalawang beses itong
isinasagawa para sa maayos na resulta. Ang eksaminasyong ito ay maaaring matagpuan sa mga
pampublikong pasilidad na pangkalusugan. Maaari ring hingan ng chest X-ray ang mga taong
hinihinalang may TB at kung ang TB ay hindi nakita sa plema.

Q: Mayroon bang mabilis na pagsusuri sa TB at drug resistance?

Noong 2010, inindorso ng WHO ang Xpert MTB / RIF, isang mabilis na pagsubok sa molekula na
maaaring masuri ang paglaban ng TB at rifampicin sa loob ng 90 lamang na minuto.

Q: Ang TB ba ay gumagaling?

Oo. Ang TB ay maaaring gumaling kung makukumpleto ang kanyang gamutan. Ang aprubado ng
WHO na gamutan sa TB, tinatawag na DOTS (directly-observed treatment, short-course), ay
maaaring matagpuna sa lahat ng bansa sa South East Asia Region.

Ang gamutang ito ay tumatagal ng anim hanggang walong buwan. Mahalagang makumpleto ng
isang pasyente ang kanyang gamutan sa loob ng buwan na ito. Kung ang isang pasyente ay hindi
makasunod sa gamutang ito, maaari itong magbigay ng peligro sa kanya, sa kanyang pamilya at
komunidad. Maaaring lumakas at maging aktibo ang TB bakterya at maging “resistant” sa gamot.
Mas malakas o epektibong gamot ang kinakailangang gamitin para sa mas malakas na uri ng TB
kung hindi gagaling ang pasyente.

Source:
National Tuberculosis Program (2021). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved February 28, 2021.