Tuberculosis is an infection caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis that usually targets the lungs but can infect the kidneys, spine, and brain and if left untreated, can be fatal. 
Symptoms:
- A bad cough that lasts longer than 3 weeks
- Pain in the chest
- Coughing up blood
- Weakness or fatigue
- Weight loss
- No appetite
- Chills
- Sweating at night
Latent Tuberculosis
- Not everyone with Tuberculosis has symptoms. Latent tuberculosis is when you have the bacteria but you are not sick and you can't spread it, although there is risk of latent Tuberculosis becoming active. There is treatment for both latent and active Tuberculosis.
- Treatment for Tuberculosis includes several drugs for 6 - 9 months. Not completing the drug regimen increases the risk of developing Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis, a more serious form.
Tuberculosis in Sierra Leone
Demographics:
- 5, 612,685 (July 2013)
- 41.9% are under the age of 14
- Median age of 19 years
Sierra Leone has almost doubled in registered cases of Tuberculosis from 2004 to 2007.
The number of Tuberculosis cases are rising due to a number of possible factors, such as access to treatment and the increase in drug resistant tuberculosis. This is also due to Environmental Determinism, which is limiting their agency to treat themselves.
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