Tuberculosis prevention
Overview
Tuberculosis is a disease caused by mycobacterium. There are
three forms of mycobacterium that cause tuberculosis and
they include; mycobacterium tuberculosis, mycobacterium
bovis, and mycobacterium africanum (Roy, 2011).
Mycobacterium bovis can be spread from animals to humans
through contaminated milk or through the air.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the main cause of tuberculosis.
It is transmitted from a person to the other through air by an
droplet infection through coughing, sneezing, or forced
expiration from the lungs (Xiaoli, 2001).
Importance of education on TB
prevention
To reduce mortality, morbidity, and disease
transmission (Gore & Hartston, 2010).
Prevent development of drug resistance
Engage the community in tuberculosis prevention
To make equip the people with knowledge
Symptoms of TB
Respiratory
Cough
Sputum
Blood spitting
Chest wall pain (Xiaoli,
2001).
Breathlessness
Localized wheeze
Frequent cold
General
Loss of weight
Fever and sweating
Tiredness
Loss of appetite (Gore &
Hartston, 2010).
Prevention measures
Immunization
Treatment in case of a suspected TB infection
Proper hygiene-utensils (Jaramillo, 2001).
Proper coughing and sneezing habits
Contact tracing
Management of close contacts
References
Gore, A. T., & Hartston, W. (2010). The measurement of
public opinion-an approach to health education in
tuberculosis. Monthly bulletin of the Ministry of Health
and the Public Health Laboratory Service, 12, 131.
Jaramillo, E. (2001). The impact of media-based health
education on tuberculosis diagnosis in Cali, Colombia.
Health policy and planning, 16(1), 68-73.
Roy, R. N. (2011). Systematic health education of
tuberculosis patients and of the population. Bull Int Union
Tuberc, 60(3-4), 133-134.
Xiaoli, Z. G. L. J. D. (2001). Effects of health education on
improvement of compliance of patients with pulmonary
tuberculosis to treatment [J]. Journal of Nurses Training,
11, 002.