Medical Expert Warns That TB Can Affect Anyone
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Professor Faisal Yunus, a senior academic in the Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, has warned that tuberculosis (TB) can affect anyone and that everyone should be alert to the risk of transmission.
“People used to say TB affected the poor, thin people and those on low incomes. That is no longer the case: people living in Menteng or Pondok Indah can get TB. It is everywhere,” he told ANTARA on Saturday.
“TB can be transmitted in various places where people interact, from shopping centres and markets to offices and public transport,” he added.
Tuberculosis is caused by infection with the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The disease can spread when other people inhale the bacteria, which are carried through the air.
According to information published on the official website of the Ministry of Health, TB bacteria can spread into the air when a person with tuberculosis coughs or sneezes, releasing droplets of sputum or fluid.
A person with TB can release up to 3,500 M. tuberculosis germs in a single cough. The number released in a sneeze can range from 4,500 to one million.
If inhaled, the bacteria can enter the respiratory tract, reach the lungs and spread to other parts of the body.
A person exposed to the bacteria that cause tuberculosis may show a response around six to 14 weeks after infection.
The main symptom of TB is a persistent cough, which may or may not produce phlegm.
People infected with the bacteria may also experience a prolonged fever and chills, shortness of breath and chest pain, loss of appetite and weight, and night sweats even when they have not been physically active.
Faisal said preventive measures include wearing a mask when feeling unwell or when someone nearby is showing symptoms of illness.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining the body’s resistance. This can be supported by eating a healthy, balanced diet, exercising regularly, getting enough rest and managing stress.
Professor Faisal urged the public not to respond to TB transmission with excessive fear.
If a TB patient is found in the community, he said, the family members’ history of contact with that person should be checked.
“If someone has TB, then the family should be investigated to see whether anyone else has it,” he said.
Family members who have been in contact with a TB patient are advised to visit a healthcare facility so they can receive any necessary care.