Anyone with a cough, particularly those in groups that are at high risk for TB, were being urged by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on World TB Day (March 24) not to dismiss their persistent cough and fever as COVID-19 as it could be caused by a range of other issues, including tuberculosis (TB).
It wasn’t until Ioana Gura, 28, started to lose weight that she suspected her heavy cough might be more than a symptom of the flu she’d had for a week or so.
A visit to her local GP in Sandwell set in train a course of events that would see Ioana make a full recovery from TB two years later.
“My first thought was that my cough was connected to asthma or that it might even be an allergic reaction to something. It never occurred to me that it could be TB,” Ioana recalled.
Although incidents of TB had been going down steadily in the UK, in 2021 cases started to rise. In the West Midlands, reported numbers of TB cases rose to almost pre-pandemic levels.
Between July and September, UKHSA’s surveillance teams were notified of 141 cases of TB in the region, which represented an 11 per cent increase on the same period the previous year.
Dr Will Proto, Consultant in Health Protection at UKHSA West Midlands, said: “TB is curable and preventable and now is the time to get our elimination efforts back on track.
“Despite significant progress towards elimination in recent years, tuberculosis remains a serious public health issue in the UK. With treatment, most people will make a full recovery, but delayed diagnosis and treatment, particularly during the pandemic, will have increased the number of undetected tuberculosis cases in the country.
“It is important to remember that not every persistent cough, along with a fever, is COVID-19. A cough that usually has mucus and lasts longer than three weeks can be caused by a range of other issues, including tuberculosis.
“Tuberculosis develops slowly, and it may take several weeks, months or even years after you were infected before you notice you're unwell. Contact your GP if you think you could be at risk so you can get tested and treated.”
Ioana’s GP acted quickly and sent her straight to Sandwell Hospital where an x-ray confirmed a TB diagnosis. Further tests by UKHSA’s predecessor, Public Health England, in Birmingham, identified that Ioana was infected with multi-drug resistant TB, which meant that the drugs usually used to treat the disease would not work in her case.
Ioana was moved to a negative pressure room, or isolation room, which are reserved for the most infectious patients. During her two week stay here she started treatment for TB, which comprised a combination of intravenous and oral drugs. The drugs took effect very quickly, and Ioana’s cough disappeared while she was still in hospital. Within a few weeks, her weight started to return to normal too.
Within a month of leaving hospital, Ioana was back at work although she continued her treatment at home for the next two years. Once the treatment had finished, Ioana’s recovery was complete and the disease has not returned.
“The TB nurses from Sandwell Hospital supported me when I went home,” said Ioana. “They taught me how to continue with my intravenous drug treatment and without them, it would have been hard to manage. Their care contributed a huge amount to my recovery.”
Ioana continued: “When I was in hospital, I was completely focused on getting better and getting home to my family. Going to the doctors and getting an early diagnosis meant that I was able to do that, and I would say to anyone who has a cough that lasts for more than a couple of weeks to get it checked out. It’s important for your family and friends to do this, and if you do have TB, being treated for it means you can return to a normal life.”
Symptoms of TB include:
· a persistent cough that lasts more than 3 weeks and usually brings up phlegm, which may be bloody
· breathlessness that gradually gets worse
· lack of appetite and weight loss
· a high temperature
· night sweats
· extreme tiredness or fatigue
