Home > Medical > Tuberculosis > FAQs FAQs All sections in Tuberculosis » About Tuberculosis » Different political stances » Drug Resistance » FAQs » Health Tips » HIV/Aids and TB » Living with TB » New Developments » TB News » Quarantine » Real-life Story » Symptoms » TB and other organs » TB in South Africa » Testing » Transmission » Treatment » Who is at risk? Why is it important to overcome the social stigma associated with TB? It is important that people with TB be visible in their communities, not hidden away. What is TB? TB stands for Tuberculosis Bacillus, the bacterium which causes the disease. How bad is TB nowadays? Do we have an epidemic? More people die from TB than any other curable infectious disease in the world. Assess Your risk for COPD » Join HIV Talk » Ask CyberDoc » Assess Do you have asthma? » African health in focus World's Most Famous TB Patients How does TB spread? TB is caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is spread through the air when someone who has infectious TB coughs or sneezes. When must I suspect TB? The most important symptoms of TB of the lung are: A cough which produces sputum or phlegm, unexplained loss of weight, abnormal sweating at night and tiredness. Is TB a serious illness? TB is the biggest cause of death to infectious disease in South Africa. What happens when a patient does not drink his/her tablets regularly? If a patient doesn't take their medication regularly he/she stays ill and infectious. Who gets TB? Because the TB bacillis is breathed in it can infect anyone, both rich and poor. How can I know for certain if I have TB? Health workers will arrange for analysis of your sputum. Can TB be cured? Patients are put on a course of treatment for a period of 6 to 8 months as soon as TB is diagnosed. load more articles advertisement From our sponsors Keep your family healthy this Winter Don’t be taken by surprise this Winter. Keep your defences up with Vital Hop, skip and jump through Winter with Hill’s Pet Nutrition Age-related bone loss is higher in women
Why is it important to overcome the social stigma associated with TB? It is important that people with TB be visible in their communities, not hidden away.
How bad is TB nowadays? Do we have an epidemic? More people die from TB than any other curable infectious disease in the world.
How does TB spread? TB is caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is spread through the air when someone who has infectious TB coughs or sneezes.
When must I suspect TB? The most important symptoms of TB of the lung are: A cough which produces sputum or phlegm, unexplained loss of weight, abnormal sweating at night and tiredness.
What happens when a patient does not drink his/her tablets regularly? If a patient doesn't take their medication regularly he/she stays ill and infectious.
Can TB be cured? Patients are put on a course of treatment for a period of 6 to 8 months as soon as TB is diagnosed.