The White Plague
It all starts with a persistent cough that won’t go away for over three weeks. People often think it’s just a regular cough, not realizing something more serious is about to happen.
As I settle in, strange things happen. People feel exhausted, lose their appetite, and start shedding weight. Nights become sweaty and feverish. All these oddities puzzle them, but they don’t yet understand what’s happening.
Some individuals face even more perplexing symptoms. Swollen glands, body aches, and joint pain join the mix. Tummy problems, cloudy urine, headaches, and confusion make things worse.
I came into existence by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but it can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain.
To unmask me, watch out for coughing up blood or mucus with blood in it. If you spot these signs, it’s a clear indicator of my presence.
But don’t worry, with early detection and the right antibiotics, I can be defeated. Stay informed, be vigilant, and seek help if you suspect I’m lurking.
In recent years, in England, I have shown mixed trends. After significant progress since 2011, there was an unexpected rise of 2.4% in my cases in 2019 and a 7.3% increase between 2020 and 2021. In 2021, 4,425 cases were reported, maintaining England’s low-incidence status.
Urban areas like London continue to be heavily impacted, with most issues among individuals born outside the UK. Even among those born in England, social risk factors like drug misuse and homelessness contribute to the challenge.
The slowing decline in my cases presents a hurdle in achieving the WHO’s goal of a 90% reduction in its cases by 2035. Continued vigilance and focused efforts are essential in the fight against me.
Can you piece together the clues and guess who I am?
Reference
- Blog Editor. (2022, March 23). What is TB and what are we doing to combat it? UK HealthSecurityAgency.https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2022/03/23/what-is-tb-and-what-are-we-doing-to-combat-it/
- Website, N. (2023, April 25). Tuberculosis (TB). Nhs. Uk. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tuberculosis-tb/
