Question

What do the data suggest might be good environmental conditions for tuberculosis patients?

Answer 1

Answer: In today's scenario where a third of the world's population is infected with tuberculosis, assessment of the impact of the environmental factors on this deadly disease becomes very essential. One cannot rule out the significant role environmental factor play in both severity and progression of tuberculosis. Various studies have been conducted over the time evaluating the presence of such environmental factors, a brief crux of these studies is listed below.

1. Smoke: Although the link between smoke and TB still remains a debatable topic still one cannot deny the fact that an increased incidence of TB infection in people exposed to smoke was reported. It may be cigarette induced smoke or polluted air or indoor smoke due to solid fuel that was considered as a risk factor for TB, which also emphasized the importance of clean and fresh air that should be provided to the TB patient in order to avoid the progression of the disease.
2. Nutrition: There are a number of studies which claims the importance of nutrition in TB patients. A properly balanced diet is required for the production of immune cells and collagen which can then, in turn, combat the TB infection.
3. Sunlight: Many studies have linked the improper functioning of macrophages due to lack of exposure to sunlight. Reduced exposure to sunlight hinders the individual's ability to synthesize vitamin D and hence impacts the severity of the disease.
4. Overcrowding: According to a study around 8% increase in the incidences of TB has been reported in adults where overcrowding was increased by 1%. Hence an infected TB patient should not be placed in overcrowded place.