What is TB?
Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease that is caused by bacteria (germs).
The bacteria most often attack the lungs but can also hurt other parts of the
body, including the spine and kidneys. If it's not treated properly with special
antibiotic medicines, TB disease can cause death.
There is a difference between being infected with TB germs and having the full-blown
disease. People can have active or inactive TB.
Active TB, also called TB disease, means that your immune system is unable to
stop the TB bacteria from making you sick. People with active TB can pass the
germs to other people when they cough, sneeze or laugh. You can only get TB
from someone who has an active case of the disease. The main symptoms are:
- persistent (long-lasting) cough
- fever
- night sweats
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- feeling tired
- coughing up blood.
If you have inactive TB, it means that your body is able to
fight the bacteria and you don't feel sick. The germs can be inactive in your
body for a lifetime. With inactive TB, you don't have symptoms and can't spread
TB to others but it can strike later in life if your immune system becomes weak
because of aging or disease.
When did TB first start to affect Aboriginal Peoples?
Tuberculosis (TB) arrived in North America with the Europeans. Aboriginal Peoples
had no natural immunity to TB and once they were exposed to the TB bacteria,
their bodies weren't able to fight it off. Many Inuit people became exposed
to TB during the tuberculosis outbreaks in the 1950s and still carry the infection.
Eventually, TB became so widespread that it threatened the entire population
of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada.
Why is TB more common in Aboriginal Peoples?
There are several reasons for the higher TB rates in Aboriginal Peoples:
- Because Aboriginal Peoples had no natural immunity to the disease,
many became infected during mass outbreaks in the early decades of the 20th
century. Today, more Aboriginal Peoples carry the TB germ in their bodies than
other Canadians.
- Chronic (long lasting, ongoing) diseases that weaken the immune system
(diabetes, HIV, alcohol problems) are higher among Aboriginal populations. Having
a chronic disease increases the risk for developing active TB.
- Aboriginal Peoples are more likely to live in overcrowded houses than
other Canadians. Overcrowding helps TB germs to spread more easily.
While TB rates in Canada have fallen dramatically in the last 50 years thanks
to new treatments, the disease hasn't been completely wiped out yet. The rate
of TB among Aboriginal Peoples in Canada is much higher than for non-Aboriginal
peoples. Nunavut has more than 25 times the national average of TB cases.
Where can I go to get tested or treated?
Public health organizations offer free skin tests and antibiotics. Doctors
usually prescribe a long program of antibiotic treatment to get rid of the disease.
They generally prescribe vitamins together with the antibiotics. You normally
have to take both for six to nine months, or even longer.
Once you decide to start the medication, it's important to take it exactly
as prescribed. Stopping or missing medication make the germs stronger, so they
can't be killed by regular antibiotics. This makes it much harder to get
rid of the disease.
In addition to antibiotic treatment - which is the only way to cure TB
- you may also want to balance your body system through traditional healing
practices. In some First Nation traditions this could include sweats and different
herbs. Tell your doctor first if you plan to take any herbal supplements.
Does TB go away completely once I've had the treatment?
If you have been properly treated for TB, it's unlikely it will ever return.
In rare cases, you can get sick again if you are re-exposed to TB germs. Re-infection
is more likely if your immune system is weakened by age or chronic disease.
Untreated, TB can lead to very serious problems. It's best to treat it before
you pass it to someone else.
Additional Resources
Tuberculosis - Canadian
Lung Association
Tuberculosis
(TB) disease: what is it? - BC
HealthFiles
Preventing
serious forms of tuberculosis in First Nation children - BC
Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)
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