Tuberculosis In Africa

Tuberculosis or TB occurs throughout the world and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where it is second only to HIV/AIDS as a cause of illness and death of adults.

Tuberculosis Facts

• Tuberculosis is caused by tubercle bacilli.
• Tuberculosis most commonly affects the lungs.
• Tuberculosis is spread from person to person via droplets in the air from coughing or sneezing. On rare occasions, it is spread via contaminated milk in the tropics.
• TB can only be caught from someone who already has the disease.

Tuberculosis Symptoms

• Symptoms in active TB may start within a few weeks to many years after the initial infection.
• Fever and a chronic cough with production of sputum which may be blood-stained.

Summary For African Travellers and Hunters

• For those travelling and hunting in high-risk areas, BCG vaccination is recommended.
• After vaccination a small ulcer develops on the skin at the injection site which may take several weeks to heal.
• Conversion to a positive skin test and development of immunity occurs about 6 weeks after vaccination, so vaccination must be done well before departure.

More On African Hunt Health

• Health Before Hunt
• Health During Hunt
• Health After Hunt
• Polio In Africa
• Cholera In Africa
• Tetanus In Africa
• Tuberculosis In Africa
• Measles In Africa
• Yellow Fever In Africa
• Typhoid In Africa
• Meningitis In Africa
• Hepatitis In Africa
• Rabies In Africa
• Schistosomiasis In Africa
• Malaria In Africa
• Malaria In African Hunting Countries
• African Tick Bite Fever
• Sleeping Sickness
• Insect Repellents For Africa

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Page Updated: Mar 2024