No outbreak of TB in SVG – Dr Davy

While one case of tuberculosis (TB) is one too many, Dr Jose Davy, specialist in infectious diseases, is assuring persons that there is no outbreak of the disease here.

Last week, a rumour began making the rounds that there was an outbreak of the infectious disease at the Mental Health Centre in Glen, but on Monday, Dr Davy told SEARCHLIGHT that was not the case.

“I am not so sure who opened that rumour but there was one case of a patient having tuberculosis, one case of a patient last December,” Dr Davy revealed while adding that there were six confirmed cases in 2018, and one confirmed case so far in 2019.

She said in her opinion, an acceptable number of cases for TB is “zero” because we are a small country.

“If we have zero cases I am happy because that is elimination, so whenever I have one or two cases, I am utterly upset because I think it is totally avoidable in a small population,” Dr Davy told SEARCHLIGHT.

TB is a potentially serious infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs. The bacteria that cause tuberculosis are spread from one person to another through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes. Dr Davy said that the spread of the disease can be prevented by using some simple precautionary measures like good cough etiquette.

“If you have a cough or cold and you are not so sure what is causing it, you should always cover your cough with a tissue or rag or cough into your elbow.

“For persons working in health care settings or prisons where there are a lot of persons, wash your hands, cover your cough,” advised Dr. Davy.

She said there may be situations where it is really crammed and hard to use these measures, but one should always try his or her best to practice cough etiquette as this is one good way of protecting others.

Dr Davy said TB has been around for many centuries and is spread from one person to another.

She said there are different forms of TB, among them, latent TB, pulmonary TB and active TB.

With latent TB, a person shows no signs of an infection, which means that a person has been exposed to the bacteria, but it is hiding out in their lungs. The body is capable of containing it at that particular time, so there are no signs or symptoms and the person is not contagious and cannot past it on.

However, should that person’s immune system take a dip for whatever reason, the bacteria can leave the warded off area and begin causing active TB.

“Active tuberculosis has signs and symptoms such as cough that is productive, so you will be bringing up cold; you may or may not bring up blood, there will be fever, night sweats and weight loss and that at that point, you have active TB and are able to transmit it to another person and make them ill,” explained Dr Davy.

She added that while there are no signs or symptoms in the latent form, that is the best time to treat the infection with a drug that gets rid of the bacteria altogether, rather than waiting for the person to fall ill.

Dr Davy noted that TB bacteria are slow growing, so you can have it in your lungs in the latent form for 10 to 20 years before it becomes active.

Latent TB is treated for six months with one drug, while treatment in HIV positive persons is extended for nine months.

Active TB is treated with four drugs for two months and another two drugs for four months.

“So, at any given time, one person should in six months receive a full course of treatment and it is curable,” explained Dr Davy who is advising healthcare workers to protect themselves and if they see someone coughing for a long period, draw it to a physician’s attention so the person can be screened.

She said that there have been cases where persons are diagnosed and they show up for the first month of treatment, but then stop. Efforts are made to find them, but they are unsuccessful so that person spreads the disease.

“We want persons who have been diagnosed to come forward and continue treatment [so that they] … stop spreading it, “stressed Dr Davy.