Cebu City – As we still fight the COVID-19 pandemic for almost 3 years now, other communicable diseases such as tuberculosis (TB) are still present and serve as a threat to every Filipino in the community. The Department of Health together with the local governments continues its campaign for a TB-free City or Municipality. This is in response to the national communication campaign called #TBFreePH.
TB is a contagious infection that attacks the lungs. It can also spread to other parts of the body like your brain, spine and bones. The usual symptoms of a person having active lung TB disease include cough, chest pain, night sweats, chills, fever, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
How does malnutrition affect TB? A TB-positive individual may have a high chance to progress to malnutrition and may contribute to the low prognosis of the disease due to its accompanying dangers. A person with active TB may have a reduced appetite, nutrient mal-absorption, micronutrient mal-absorption, and altered metabolism leading to wasting. Malnutrition, on the other hand, can lead to secondary immunodeficiency due to a lack of vitamins and minerals present in the body which could increase the susceptibility to infections like TB. These two problems are interconnected.
A TB-positive patient and at the same time Malnourished will have a delayed time of recovery and has a higher mortality rate than those who are well-nourished. The nutritional status of an individual with TB may improve during TB treatment and micronutrient supplementation may help for fast recovery. Intakes of food that are rich in Vitamin C, D, A, and Zinc may help boost your immune system. Always remember that a healthy immune system is a big factor that can fight against infection. A combination of a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, and regular medication therapy is the key to fast recovery. // Nutrition Officer I Armie D. Plando RN
Sources: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/94836/9789241506410_eng.pdf
https://www.webmd.com/lung/understanding-tuberculosis-basics
