Globally, tuberculosis (TB) still kills more than 1.5 million people each year and, although rare, it still kills hundreds in the UK.
Overview
What tuberculosis (TB)?
It’s a bacterial infection, spread when you inhale droplets sneezed or coughed by an infected person.
Is TB fatal?
It can be - but TB-related death in the UK is rare as the infection can be treated with the right antibiotics.
What are the symptoms of TB?
A phlegmy cough that won’t go away, weight loss, tiredness and fatigue, night sweats, loss of appetite and a swollen neck.
How do I get tested?
Book a simple blood test now.
Did You Know?
A quarter of the world’s population is infected with TB.
Is TB still common?
In the UK, it’s easy to think of tuberculosis (TB) as a historic disease, but in reality, it still causes hundreds of deaths every year. If anything, global TB rates have rallied in recent years, as the bacteria which cause TB develop resistance to some drugs, and as conditions such as HIV reduce immunity and enable TB to regain a foothold, particularly in developing countries.
What is tuberculosis?
TB is a bacterial infection spread by inhaling droplets sneezed or coughed by an infected person.
It isn’t easy to catch TB. Unless you have a weakened immune system, it’s likely to take prolonged exposure to someone with the condition for it to spread.
Once within your body, your immune system will fight the infection. Where your body fails to completely kill off the infection, the TB can remain dormant within your body. It won’t cause any symptoms, and you can’t pass it on to anyone else, but if your immune system later becomes weakened, the ‘latent TB’ can reactivate and become "active TB".
Estimates suggest up to 2 billion people globally have latent TB.
What are the symptoms of tuberculosis?
Symptoms of TB include:
- A phlegmy cough that lasts three weeks or more
- Chest pain or trouble breathing
- Coughing up blood
- Night sweats or fever
- Chills
- Loss of appetite and/or weight loss
- Fatigue
Whilst typically an infection of the lungs, TB can infect other parts of the body including the spine and brain, so symptoms can vary.
How can this test help me?
This blood test is the most accurate single-visit TB test available, with over 30 million tests carried out globally. The test checks for two proteins created by the bacterium responsible for creating TB. A positive result may indicate that you have, or have had, an active or latent TB infection.
If you are experiencing TB-like symptoms and the test proves positive, see your GP. A lengthy course of antibiotics usually treats the infection successfully.
How do I get tested?
A simple blood test is all you need.
To get tested please contact Better2Know your Body on the number above or click book now.