Tuberculosis was supposed to be something that was gone, a thing of the past; history, just like polio.
But then something happened on the way to the United States.
This terrible disease was brought back to this country with a vengeance.
While this article is not meant to be a criticism of our immigration laws, it is important to know why TB is the problem that it has become before we can understand what can be done about it.
Much of what you are about to read is from my own experience.
My wife works in the public school system in Irvington, NJ.
She has been teaching there for over 25 years.
The school has many illegal aliens attending.
This is no secret.
What is a secret, and a shock to many, is that some of these aliens have brought with them, from their part of the world, the dreaded TB virus.
My wife found this out quite by surprise.
Upon having a routine examination by her gynecologist,calcium was discovered.
The doctor told her that she should have a test for tuberculosis, just to rule it out.
Of course nobody thought that the test would come back positive, but it did.
My wife had contracted the TB virus.
Fortunately, it was in the dormant stage so she didn't need to be quarantined.
In the meantime, she had to begin a nine month regiment that consisted of vitamins, a special pill for TB called Isoniazid, and a very strict diet of no chocolate, cheese or meat.
Basically, she can't have anything that is hard to digest.
Just recently, my wife had a D & C that showed that the calcium was gone, so it appears that the treatment and diet have been working.
She still has two more months on the pill and diet but then she'll be fine.
We got lucky.
Others have not been so lucky.
If you haven't been tested for tuberculosis, please get tested, especially if you work around a lot of people who have come here from other countries.
Tuberculosis is a growing problem and unless we keep it under control by having regular checkups, getting tested and getting vaccinated to prevent getting the disease, we are leaving ourselves open for a world of hurt.
Like I said, we got lucky.
To YOUR Health, Steve Wagner
But then something happened on the way to the United States.
This terrible disease was brought back to this country with a vengeance.
While this article is not meant to be a criticism of our immigration laws, it is important to know why TB is the problem that it has become before we can understand what can be done about it.
Much of what you are about to read is from my own experience.
My wife works in the public school system in Irvington, NJ.
She has been teaching there for over 25 years.
The school has many illegal aliens attending.
This is no secret.
What is a secret, and a shock to many, is that some of these aliens have brought with them, from their part of the world, the dreaded TB virus.
My wife found this out quite by surprise.
Upon having a routine examination by her gynecologist,calcium was discovered.
The doctor told her that she should have a test for tuberculosis, just to rule it out.
Of course nobody thought that the test would come back positive, but it did.
My wife had contracted the TB virus.
Fortunately, it was in the dormant stage so she didn't need to be quarantined.
In the meantime, she had to begin a nine month regiment that consisted of vitamins, a special pill for TB called Isoniazid, and a very strict diet of no chocolate, cheese or meat.
Basically, she can't have anything that is hard to digest.
Just recently, my wife had a D & C that showed that the calcium was gone, so it appears that the treatment and diet have been working.
She still has two more months on the pill and diet but then she'll be fine.
We got lucky.
Others have not been so lucky.
If you haven't been tested for tuberculosis, please get tested, especially if you work around a lot of people who have come here from other countries.
Tuberculosis is a growing problem and unless we keep it under control by having regular checkups, getting tested and getting vaccinated to prevent getting the disease, we are leaving ourselves open for a world of hurt.
Like I said, we got lucky.
To YOUR Health, Steve Wagner
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