Smoking Can Increase the TB germs are "Sleeping"

Many people who are already infected with germs tuberculosis (TB), but it does not hurt. It happened because the TB germs simply "sleep" in the body, known as latent TB. If the person's immune system decline, TB germs can get up to make someone sick tuberculosis.
Head of the Agency for Health Research and Development (Balitbangkes) Ministry of Health, Tjandra Yoga Aditama said, one thing that can evoke the TB germs are smoking.
"As many as 20 percent of TB associated with smoking. Smokers are two to three times more often sick when it's latent TB. According to the study, the smokers TB become more frequent relapses," said Tjandra some time ago in Jakarta.
Professor of Pulmonary Sciences Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, said, smokers are also more vulnerable to contracting TB. He explained that the toxins in cigarette smoke can damage the lungs of humans and lower the body's resistance. As a result, the body can not ward off the TB germs and activate latent TB germs.
TB patients must stop smoking. If not, it will be difficult to cure tuberculosis or become more severe disease.

"If you smoke, the treatment so much longer. If after recovery and return to smoking, he could relapse," said Tjandra.
According Tjandra, cigarette important issues asked of TB patients. Doctors should ask whether patients with TB have the habit of smoking. The doctor will then ask the patient to stop smoking.
In fact, doctors can help patients take steps to quit smoking. Once cured, TB patients were smokers should be controlled so as not to return to smoking.
To treat this disease, TB patients should be regularly taking medication for 6 months. If non-adherence or stop in the middle of the road, patients can become resistant to the drug or multidrug resistance (MDR) TB. Treatment will be longer, which is 1.5 to 2 years.