TB Awareness Month: Busting 5 common myths about the disease

Hyderabad: The Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report 2024, stated that India accounted for 26 per cent of the global TB burden in 2023. A closer look at the data from the India TB Report 2024 highlighted that mortality due to TB declined from 28 persons per lakh population in 2015 to 23 persons per lakh population in 2022.

In light of the severity and widespread nature of the disease, and with March being TB Awareness Month, the public needs to guard themselves against some misconceptions about TB.

Dr Danish Salim, assistant professor of Emergency Medicine, at Khalifa University, UAE, and the CEO and managing director of Dr D Better Life, while speaking to NewsMeter, debunked major false myths about TB, the need to stay vigilant, and the importance of seeking treatment at an early stage and vaccination.

Here are some popular myths about TB and the truths behind them:

1. Myth: TB affects only the lungs.

Fact: This is false. While pulmonary tuberculosis is common, extrapulmonary tuberculosis can also occur in several organs of the human body. TB can form in lymph nodes, in the brain (TB meningitis), stomach (abdominal TB) and the spine.

2. Myth: TB is an old disease and is not prevalent now.

Fact: This is false. As per data published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 10 million people are affected by TB of which 1.6 million lose their lives annually. It is important to understand the prevalence of so many deaths. People sometimes stop their TB medication after one or two months. However, they should continue their medication for a minimum of six months which will ensure that TB can be completely cured from their system.

3. Myth: People should isolate themselves after getting contracting TB

Fact: People believe that the affected individuals must be isolated to stop the spread of TB to others which is misleading. After taking the medication for around two months, the active TB becomes inactive TB and does not spread to others. Though TB spreads through air, while sneezing or coughing, in most cases the spread is limited after 2 to 3 weeks of medications.

4. Myth: The BCG vaccine prevents TB for life.

Fact: The BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) vaccine primarily prevents pulmonary tuberculosis and TB meningitis. The BCG vaccine prevents such diseases during childhood, but after a certain age, people can still be affected by TB. The vaccine does not protect from TB all through life.

5. Myth: TB is not curable even after taking medication

Fact: This is false. Six months of treatment called Directly Observed Treatment (DOT therapy) can cure TB. Some people may require medication for four more months, which is called the maintenance phase. After this period, TB does not spread to others through handshakes, sharing food or other physical contact.