Recent fact-checking productions have highlighted widespread rumors about tuberculosis. This article provides a thorough analysis of this disease, including its mode of transmission and treatment, which remain poorly understood by the public.
Understanding Tuberculosis and Its Mode of Transmission:
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Along with malaria and HIV, it is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide. TB is primarily transmitted through the air and usually affects the lungs but can sometimes involve other organs.
Transmission occurs through the air. When a person with contagious pulmonary tuberculosis coughs, the bacteria are expelled from the lungs into the air. If another person breathes in these bacteria, they can become infected. TB spreads in conditions with poor hygiene and difficult living conditions. Symptoms of TB include cough, painful breathing, unwanted weight loss, and in more severe stages, coughing up blood.
Data from the World Health Organization:
In 2018, the therapeutic success rate for patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) or rifampicin-resistant TB was 59%.
In 2020, the WHO recommended a new treatment regimen for MDR-TB patients that is shorter (9 to 11 months) and administered exclusively orally. BCG vaccines are generally given to protect against tuberculosis.
In the same vein, Abdoulaye Kapouno, Head of the Diagnostic and Treatment Center (CDT) “Friends of Africa,” explains:
“At our center, when a patient arrives for consultation and presents symptoms of tuberculosis (cough, weight loss, body weakness, night sweats, loss of appetite, chest pain, etc.), they undergo sputum tests or an X-ray. If the results are positive, we automatically proceed with treatment.”
TB care, like HIV/AIDS, is free in the Central African Republic through Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The antitubercular treatment involves taking several antibiotics daily, including isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, for a minimum of 3 to 6 months. A specific antibiogram is conducted to test the sensitivity of the Koch bacillus to these antibiotics.
After treating TB patients, a follow-up diagnosis is always recommended to determine if the patient is cured or if treatment should continue, according to specialists.
By Marie-Paule Vopiadé / Romaric Gbomandji / AFC
This article is produced as part of the AFC-Internews partnership funded by USAID. However, the content does not reflect the partner’s responsibility.
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