Tuberculosis Scare

Tuberculosis. Up until recent days, tuberculosis was something that the average American rarely thought about in direct relation to our daily lives. It was a word from the past or the vague reason for those "TB skin tests" that happen now and again. Thanks to last week's tuberculosis scare in which a man infected with a rare, drug-resistant strain of the disease traveled across the seas and back extensively, possibly exposing many people, this disease called tuberculosis has been brought to the forefront of many a consciousness.

What exactly is tuberculosis? How does one 'catch' tuberculosis? Are we in danger of a tuberculosis epidemic here in the United States of America? How do we go about protecting ourselves and those we love from tuberculosis threat? These questions and many more similar questions immediately come to mind. Yet another thing to concern ourselves with when it comes to the health and safety of our children, other family members,, including our neighbors and friends.

Tuberculosis, or TB, is an infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is an infectious disease that usually affects the lungs but can affect other parts of the body as well. The disease is spread by air contamination, from person-to-person via the air we breathe. In most cases, people would need to be exposed to the bacteria-laden air for a long period of time in order to 'catch' tuberculosis/TB. Being in the vicinity of an person or persons infected with tuberculosis does not necessarily guarantee one will definitely contract the disease. Being infected with tuberculosis, or TB, is not the same as having the disease tuberculosis. In fact, most people who test positive for TB infection, never actually develop full-blown TB disease.

As for a tuberculosis epidemic, as with a myriad of other diseases and worries in this day and age, forewarned is forearmed. If you are worrying about a particular disease, such as tuberculosis, the best approach is to learn all you can about it first, before deciding on a course of prevention or a plan of action. Your local health department offers a variety of information and prevention tips in regards to many things, tuberculosis included. Do not live in fear, but go forward, learn and act. The best protection for ourselves and those we love against tuberculosis and other such contagious and worrisome diseases, is education. Learn about the risk factors, the symptoms and the ways to keep you and your loved ones safe.