TB and Nutrition

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Nutritional deficiencies are generally associated with an increased risk for contracting TB and has an effect on the severity of the disease. Undernutrition and tuberculosis (TB) are closely linked and both are public health problems. In TB, as in many other infectious diseases, there is a bidirectional interaction between nutritional status and active disease, undernutrition is associated with an increased frequency, severity and fatality of infections, including TB; while infections in turn lead to undernutrition. The association between TB and undernutrition has long been known. TB makes undernutrition worse and undernutrition weakens immunity, thereby increasing the likelihood that latent TB will develop into active disease. Most individuals with active TB are in a catabolic state and experience weight loss and some show signs of vitamin and mineral deficiencies at diagnosis. Weight loss among those with TB can be caused by several factors, including reduced food intake due to loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal pain; nutrient losses from vomiting and diarrhoea and metabolic alterations caused by the disease. Low body mass index (BMI) (lower than 18.5 kg/m2) and lack of adequate weight gain with TB treatment are associated with an increased risk of death and TB relapse and can be an indication of severity of TB, poor treatment response and/or the presence of other comorbid conditions. A weakened immune system - caused by malnutrition - can be quickly and easily corrected by just giving the body the nutrients it needs. Thus, nutritional intervention in combination with appropriate pharmaceutical therapy could improve the outcome in malnourished TB patients.