March 21, 2011 11.02 am This story is over 156 months old

NHS raise Tuberculosis awareness

Raised awareness: Nurses in Lincolnshire are educating people about TB for World TB day.

NHS Lincolnshire is trying to raise the awareness of Tuberculosis (TB) in Lincoln, to mark World TB Day on March 24.

Despite cases of TB in the country rising, Lincolnshire cases remain low.

During 2010, only 19 people in the whole county were diagnosed with TB, 2.7% of the population of Lincoln—one person out of every 100,000.

TB is an infectious disease that affects the lungs mainly, but can affect any part of the body. It can be treated with antibiotics.

Sue Silvester, TB Nurse Specialist for Lincolnshire Community Health Services said: “Lincolnshire has the lowest rate of TB in the East Midlands, despite this it is still helpful for people to be aware of the symptoms.

“These can include loss of appetite and weight, a persistent cough which gets progressively worse over several weeks or months, unusual tiredness and night sweats, sometimes accompanied by a fever.

“TB bacteria is spread when people breathe in infectious coughs and sneezes.

“Most people have a strong enough immune system to kill off TB bacteria, but there are a number of vulnerable groups who are more at risk.

“High risk groups include people who are born outside the UK, who are homeless and those who are experiencing drug or alcohol misuse.”

If you feel you may have a number of the symptoms listed on the NHS website, contact your GP as soon as possible.

Source: NHS Lincolnshire | Photo: Sanofi Pasteur