Tuberculosis: The Wild FireBy

Kusuma Neela Bolla Dept. Applied Nutrition

Introduction:Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.It is an air borne disease and is spread

through droplet nuclei.It mostly effects the lungs.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

•Aerobic•Non-motile•Gram positive bacillus

History:

Tubercular decay has been found in the spines of Egyptian mummies.

Dr. Robert Koch discovered the tuberculosis bacillus

Staining:High lipid and mycolic acid content makes

staining difficult.Special staining techniques: Acid fast staining Auramine-Rodamine staining Fluorescent microscopy

Stained bacilli:

Culturing:

Lowenstein-Jensen culture medium

Symptoms

•Chest pain•Coughing blood•Chills•Appetite loss•Weight loss

CAUSES

Risk factors for TB HIV infection

Low socioeconomic status

Alcoholism

Homelessness

Diseases that weaken the immune system

Migration from a country with a high number of cases

Crowded living conditions

Screening:

Tuberculin test or Mantoux test. It produces false negative tests.

Interferon-γ release assays.Chest Photofluorography. The latter two techniques are expensive but

results are more reliable.

Drug resistant Tb:Multi drug resistant Tb and Extensively drug

resistant Tb are major health issues.These have resistance to the primary line of

drugs given to the patientThis has made the cure of Tb difficult.

Treatment:Antibiotics like isoniazid and rifampicin

are commonly used.DOTS

Role of Diet:Malnutrition aggravates the severity of

infectionChemotherapy effects nutritional statusBalanced diet is required to build immunity

and to fight against the disease.Should increase intake of nutrients like

proteins, minerals and vitamins.Along with drugs Balanced diet is required to

fight the disease.

Dietary management: An all-fruit diet for three days. Take three

meals a day of fresh juicy fruits at five-hourly intervals.

A fruit and milk diet for further 10 days, adding a cup of milk to each fruit meal.

After this a balanced vegetarian diet should be given

PRINCIPLE OF THE DIET is HIGH CARBOHYDRATE, HIGH PROTEIN, LOW FAT, HIGH CALCIUM which is non-oily and non-spicy.

AVOID Tea, coffee, sugar, white flour and products made from them, refined foods, fried foods, flesh foods, alcohol and smoking.

Dietary recommendations: Dietary FatEat less than ten percent of calories from

saturated fats and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and eat as few trans-fats (hydrogenated fat) as possible.

Maintain total intake of fats/oils at between 20-35 percent of calories, with most fat coming from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, such as oily fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

Regarding meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, choose lean, low-fat, or fat-free options.

Carbohydrates:Eat fibre-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole

grains as often as possible.Consume foods and drinks with little added

sugars or caloric sweeteners.

Protein:Eat lean meats and poultry.Eat a variety of protein rich foods, with more

fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.Bake, broil, or grill food.

Vitamins:Vitamin A, C, D should be consumed more.

Minerals:

Calcium:It is required for calcification of lesions.

Iron:Deficiency leads to anemia which

aggravates the condition.

Sodium and Potassium:Eat less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1

teaspoon of salt) of sodium per day.Choose low-sodium foods, and do not add salt

when cooking. Also, eat potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

Prevention of Tuberculosis:BCG vaccine is major part of Tb control

programme.Its efficacy is only 80% RNTCP- Revised National Tb Control

ProgrammeRecombinant tuberculosis vaccine is under

trials

Prevention is better than cure

Thank You One and All