BENGALURU : For a city that sees a huge influx of migrants each year, crowding of public spaces is inevitable, which increases the chances of the spreading of diseases such as tuberculosis, say doctors. In the run up to World Tuberculosis Day (March 24), CE spoke to a few doctors on current situation with regard to the disease. There is a link between TB and overpopulation in metro cities like Bengaluru. Sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition are the other factors that activate the dormant tuberculosis infection present in most of us, the doctors said.

“Malls, supermarkets, roads... there is congestion everywhere, making it easier for the TB bacteria to spread. I have seen over 20 per cent increase in cases in the last five years,” said Dr Satyanarayan Mysore, interventional pulmonologist, Manipal Hospital.

“In 2017, I was seeing five to six newly-detected TB cases per month, and in 2018, this increased to about 10 patients,” he added.Patients working in the corporate sector are susceptible to the disease because of an imbalanced diet, work stress and lack of exercise, which contributes to poor immunity, leading to such diseases, Dr Mysore added.Experts also say that symptoms such as continuous coughing for over two weeks are often ignored initially and brushed off as an allergy.

“People assume it is common cold or cough, and do not get diagnosed properly at local clinics. Some of my patients are migrant labourers who stay in compact spaces with 10 to 15 people sharing a one-room apartment,” said Dr Ambanna Gowda, consultant, Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital.The lack of awareness about the symptoms is present even among the educated lot, say doctors. It is only when the condition becomes serious, such as a patient coughing out blood, do people come to specialty hospitals for treatment.

Stigma around TB
According to Dr Sachin Kumar, senior consultant, Pulmonology, Sakra World Hospital, people are misinformed about TB. “I see young working professionals diagnosed with TB believing it is not curable, and that they will not find prospective partners to marry. There is some level of stigma associated with being diagnosed with TB,” Kumar said. “It is curable with medication. However, people have to take precautions on their own. Cutting down on alcohol and ensuring one gets adequate sleep is recommended,” he added.