In Roubaix, cases of tuberculosis have been identified in a high school. Today, this infectious disease can be cured very well provided that the treatment is followed correctly until its end.
- Without treatment, a patient infected with tuberculosis can contaminate 10 to 15 people within a year, according to Inserm.
- Contagious tuberculosis is transmitted by micro-secretions emitted when a sick person coughs, sneezes or speaks.
Nearly eight cases of tuberculosis have been identified in a high school in Roubaix (North). Follow-up is organized to ensure that contact cases of patients do not develop the pathology. “The number of cases that we have found is quite high, that’s why we carry out investigations of this type to precisely screen people to prevent there from being new contaminations. The first wave of investigation is carried out and it can reasonably be said that it is very unlikely that new cases will appear in the future from this index case”explained Doctor Olivier Robino, infectious disease doctor at Tourcoing hospital, to RTL.
Latent tuberculosis infection or contagious tuberculosis, what are the differences?
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Where Koch’s bacillus (BK) which usually affects the lungs. This form of the pathology is called pulmonary tuberculosis. However, this mycobacterium can spread to other organs. This is called extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.
There are two kinds of tuberculosis: latent tuberculosis infection (LTI) and disease tuberculosis. In the case of latent tuberculosis infection, Koch’s bacillus enters the organism, but it “can remain in an inactive (“dormant”) state of rest and does not cause disease while remaining alive”precise the Ministry of Health and Prevention. Latent tuberculosis infection causes no symptoms and is not contagious. However, an infected person can harbor the mycobacterium for several years. The diagnosis of latency tuberculosis infection is also more difficult to make.
In 10% of cases, patients who have developed latent tuberculosis infection are affected by disease tuberculosis or contagious tuberculosis. During the first two years following infection, the risk of contracting this form of tuberculosis is very high. People affected by diabetes, HIV or malnutrition are more likely to be affected by contagious tuberculosis. The cause ? Their immune system is already weakened by these different factors.
Tuberculosis: what are the symptoms to identify?
Latent tuberculosis infection and contagious tuberculosis are among the notifiable diseases (DO) in France in children under 18 years of age.
Tuberculosis disease is difficult to identify because it causes symptoms that can be associated with other pathologies. In particular, a patient may suffer from a fever, weight loss, prolonged cough or night sweats. In the absence of treatment, this condition worsens and can lead to the death of the patient.
How to treat contagious tuberculosis?
Thanks to modern treatments, contagious tuberculosis can be cured very well but it is necessary to follow them correctly until their term. The management of this infectious disease is based on taking anti-tuberculosis drugs for at least three to six months. “Treatments not followed or poorly followed induce the appearance of resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs”, warns the government. At the start of treatment, it is sometimes indicated that the patient be placed in hospital isolation in a room alone to reduce the risk of transmission.
