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Many People Ill With 'world's Deadliest Disease' Feel WELL, Scientists Warn
MANY people who catch the world's 'mostly deadly infection' may feel perfectly healthy, scientists have found.
Tuberculosis (TB) kills millions of people across the globe each year.
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Many people with contagious TB walk around with no symptomsCredit: GettyUntil now, experts have believed that people with the contagious version of the disease - called active TB - showed symptoms such as the signature cough.
However, recent surveys have revealed that many people with active TB feel fine.
TB, once called 'consumption' by the Victorians, is currently split into two categories: latent and active.
When someone has active TB, they have symptoms and can spread the disease to other people through coughing or sneezing.
Read more on tuberculosisLatent TB is when the bacteria is in the body, but there are no symptoms, and it can't be passed on.
Scientists from London, Australia and South Africa are calling for a total rehaul of the way the disease is categorised to stop it from spreading silently from symptomless victims and eventually "eradicate the disease".
It comes as scientists recently cast doubt on the assumption that TB only spreads through droplets released by coughs and sneezes, suggesting that the simple act of breathing could be enough to spread the infection.
The proposed TB classification system, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, will include a category for the disease when in its early stages when it's both contagious and symptomless.
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Girl died of little-known virus after doctors said she 'just had a cold'Co author of the paper, Professor Rein Houben, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "To prevent transmission of TB, we need to move away from focusing just on the very sick and look at earlier disease states, identifying people who may be infectious for months or years before they develop TB symptoms."
"Our consensus framework replaces the old binary concept of 'active' versus 'latent' TB with a more detailed classification system that, if widely adopted, could help improve treatment for those with early-stage TB and drive forward efforts to eradicate the disease."
Victorian illness fears sweep US city after patient visited multiple campuses and exposed elementary school studentsHealth officials recently raised the alarm over a surge of TB cases in England.
Cases in the UK increased to about 5,000 last year and are expected to continue rising in 2024, according to the UK Health Security Agency.
Reports on suspected cases suggest London is the national hotspot for the infection.
The Big Smoke logged 29 suspected cases last week, almost three times as many other badly affected regions.
This is followed by the East of England and the North West, where doctors noted ten suspected infections.
Last month, Brits were warned to get checked for TB if they have a lingering cough, as the deadly disease can easily be mistaken for a cold or the flu.
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The areas where you are most likely to catch tuberculosisDr Esther Robinson, head of the TB unit at UKHSA, said: "A cough that usually has mucus and lasts longer than three weeks can be caused by a range of other issues, including TB.
"Please speak to your GP if you think you could be at risk."
Globally, 7.5million people were diagnosed with TB in 2022 - the highest number ever recorded.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) previously said this was because many people were unable to get a diagnosis or receive treatment during Covid lockdowns.
A separate report found cases of drug-resistant TB had increased by three per cent between 2020 and 2021.
What is TB?TB remains one of the world's most deadly diseases and the second leading infectious killer after Covid-19.
The bacterial infection spreads in the air when people carrying the bug cough, sneeze or spit.
Symptoms include a cough for more than three weeks, feeling exhausted, a high temperature, weight loss and loss of appetite.
It can be life-threatening, but most cases can be successfully treated with antibiotics.
The infection can spread to your brain, heart, abdomen, glands, bones and nervous system.
People are at higher risk of the disease if they are in close contact with a person known to have the disease, travel to countries with high rates of TB, are homeless, are addicted to drugs, have a weakened immune system or are in prison.
There's a jab that protects against the bug, but vaccination programmes have been scrapped in several countries over the last 20 years.
Symptoms of active TB to know and how to protect yourself
TB is a potentially serious condition, but it can be cured if it's treated with the right antibiotics
According to the NHS, the symptoms of active TB include:
You should see a GP if you exhibit any of these symptoms.
There is a shot to protect you against tuberculosis called the BCG vaccine.
It's given during childhood and is currently the most widely used shot globally.
It is no longer offered to secondary school kids in the UK and instead only targets young children deemed most at risk.
The NHS recommends it for the following groups:
Map Reveals 'world's Deadliest Infection' Hotspots As Case Of Victorian Disease Spread
THE areas where you are most likely to catch tuberculosis have been revealed on a map, as health chiefs warn infections are on the rise.
London is the national hotspot for the infection, which was called 'consumption' by the Victorians.
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The Big Smoke logged 29 suspected cases last week, almost three times as many as other badly affected regions.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection that usually affects the lungs.
It can be treated with antibiotics but can be serious if not treated.
The BCG vaccine protects people from getting TB but is only given to those at higher risk of getting the infection.
Read more on tuberculosisExperts have previously warned an increase in poverty across the UK could be behind the rise in infections.
So far this year, 11,395 suspected TB cases have been reported.
The figure is more than twice as high as the 2,598 logged during the same period in 2022, but so far hasn't reached the 15,960 cases in 2023.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes notifications of infectious diseases (NOIDs) in England and Wales every week.
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Girl died of little-known virus after doctors said she 'just had a cold'From March 11 to March 17, doctors reported 459 suspected TB cases.
The UKHSA gathers the data from medics, who must report suspected cases of certain infectious diseases, such as TB, smallpox and whooping cough.
Victorian illness fears sweep US city after patient visited multiple campuses and exposed elementary school studentsMost recent data on confirmed cases of the bacterial bug, spread by coughing, suggested infections increased by over ten per cent last year - from 4,380 in 2022 to 4,850 in 2023.
The worrying surge marked the third time infections increased nationally over the past decade.
After the capital, the North West, East of England and the West Midlands came in joint second for areas where you're most likely to pick up TB.
All three regions saw ten possible cases each.
The South East and Yorkshire followed closely behind, with doctors in the areas reporting nine and eight suspected cases, respectively.
The South West and North East faired better, with both regions reporting just three suspected infections each.
The East Midlands reported two, while doctors in Wales, which saw the lowest rate, reported just one.
Why is Tuberculosis on the rise?In February, the Government urged people not to mistake symptoms of the infection for a cold or flu.
They also launched an investigation to determine why cases of TB have increased in England.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) previously said the rise in 2023 was because many people were unable to get a diagnosis or receive treatment during Covid lockdowns.
A separate report found cases of drug-resistant TB had increased by three per cent between 2020 and 2021.
Professor Nick Hopkinson, medical director of the charity Asthma and Lung UK, said: "Given increasing poverty in the UK, in particular child poverty, the increase in tuberculosis cases is unfortunately not surprising.
"There is a well-established link between deprivation and poor lung health. TB is associated with deprivation.
"Poor housing and poor nutrition increase the risk of infection spreading and of infected people developing active disease because their immune systems are weakened.
"Smoking also substantially increases the risk of developing TB.
"Although overall population smoking levels are falling, smoking rates remain higher in more deprived communities.
"TB is treatable, but people with symptoms need to be able to access healthcare – there have been substantial cuts to public health funding since 2010, which are likely to have made the problem worse.
"Preventing lung disease is much cheaper than treating it."
What is Tuberculosis?TB remains one of the world's most deadly diseases and the second leading infectious killer after Covid-19.
The bacterial infection spreads in the air when people carrying the bug cough, sneeze or spit.
Symptoms include a cough for more than three weeks, feeling exhausted, a high temperature, weight loss and loss of appetite.
It can be life-threatening, but most cases can be successfully treated with antibiotics.
The infection can spread to your brain, heart, abdomen, glands, bones and nervous system.
People are at higher risk of the disease if they are in close contact with a person known to have the disease, travel to countries with high rates of TB, are homeless, are addicted to drugs, have a weakened immune system or are in prison.
There's a jab that protects against the bug, but vaccination programmes have been scrapped in several countries over the last 20 years.
Six Tuberculosis symptoms to watch out for
TB is a potentially serious condition, but it can be cured if it's treated with the right antibiotics.
Source: NHS
Nasal Rinsing With Unboiled Tap Water Linked To Deadly Amoeba Infection
Nasal rinsing, sometimes called nasal irrigation, is a common practice that involves using a neti pot or squeeze bottle to help clear the sinuses. Using unsanitized tap water for nasal rinsing, however, can increase the risk of rare but potentially deadly infections.
In recent years there have been multiple reports of fatal brain-eating amoeba infections due to the organism Naegleria fowleri. Now a new study suggests another amoeba could pose similar risks to people who use neti pots with unboiled tap water.
In the study, scientists looked at 10 patients who developed rare infections caused by a type of amoeba known as acanthamoeba. Three people died from their infections. After examining these cases, it became clear that all of the patients had used nasal rinsing before becoming ill, and many of them had used tap water, according to study results published in Emerging Infectious Diseases.[1]
"Invasive acanthamoeba infections are rare," says lead study author Julia Haston, MD, a lieutenant commander for the U.S. Public Health Service and medical epidemiologist in the Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"Less than 15 people are diagnosed with these infections each year in the United States," Dr. Haston adds. "However, they can be very serious and are often fatal."
Acanthamoeba Infections Linked to Using Unboiled Tap Water for Nasal RinsingIt's often unclear how people get these infections because acanthamoeba live in many types of water and there are several ways they can be exposed, Haston says. It's also possible that the amoeba enters the body through exposed cuts on the skin, or gets inhaled. The new study offers some of the first evidence that nasal rinsing may be one way people can get sick.
All of the people in the study had weakened immune systems, and this likely made them more susceptible to acanthamoeba infections, says Anthony Del Signore, MD, PharmD, an assistant professor and director of endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York City.
"The risk would be rather low for such an infection to be seen in an immunocompetent individual," says Dr. Del Signore, who wasn't involved in the new study. "Would it be possible? Sure, but rather low."
Despite the infection risk, there are many health reasons for nasal rinsing as long as you take the proper precautions, Del Signore says.
Always Boil Tap Water for Nasal Rinsing A nationally representative survey published in February 2023 suggested that nearly two-thirds of Americans erroneously think that it's safe to use unboiled tap water for nasal rinsing.[2]
"I tend to have our patients boil tap water or use distilled bottled water," Del Signore says. "If they use tap water, boiling helps to boil off any chemicals or impurities and also helps with sterilizing water to remove any bacteria."
What Are the Health Benefits of Nasal Rinsing?Nasal rinsing can improve acute and chronic symptoms of sinusitis, seasonal allergies, the common cold, and other upper respiratory infections, Del Signore notes. It works by thinning nasal mucus; improving the health of the nasal lining; and removing things like bacteria, viral particles, allergens, and pollutants.
It's also called saline rinsing because people usually add a saline solution to the sterilized water because it helps fight inflammation in the nasal passages.
The most common ways to do it involve using either a neti pot or a squeeze bottle to introduce the water and saline solution into the nasal passages. Doctors will often recommend this in addition to any medications needed to combat infections and inflammation, Del Signore says.
"The most effective way to use nasal irrigation is to use it once or twice daily when symptomatic, and also when not symptomatic as a preventive measure if one is prone to such illness," says David Rabago, MD, a professor of family medicine at Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania, who wasn't involved in the new study.
"Nasal irrigation can reasonably be added to one's routine hygiene, like brushing teeth or washing hands," Dr. Rabago says. "Depending on the condition and severity, nasal irrigation can be a stand-alone therapy, or used alongside more conventional therapy, such as antibiotics or nasal steroid spray."
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