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Preventing the worsening of tuberculosis symptoms with early detection and preventing the spread of the disease to family and friends

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by the tubercle bacillus. In Japan, more than 10,000 cases occur each year and approximately 2,000 people die. Recently, the proportion of foreign-born patients, especially young people (20 to 29 years old), has been increasing.

Five questions and answers about tuberculosis

1. What are the symptoms?

 They include prolonged cough, phlegm, mild fever, and lethargy. However, these are not characteristic and are usually not noticeable in the early stages. If the cough and phlegm persist for more than two weeks, or if the low-grade fever and lethargy persist, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

2. How is tuberculosis transmitted?

The germs are carried through the air when a patient with infectious tuberculosis coughs or sneezes. Inhaling the germs spreads the infection to people around them (airborne infection).

3. What precautions should I take regularly?

Even if you have no symptoms, it is important to have regular health checkups. If tuberculosis is detected at an early stage, it can not only prevent serious illness, but also prevent the disease from spreading to family and friends.

If the results of your health check-up shows that you need a complete medical examination, you should undergo the examination.

4. Can tuberculosis be cured with treatment?

Tuberculosis can usually be cured if the medications are taken as directed by the doctor. The typical treatment period is six to nine months.

If you stop taking the medications during treatment or do not take them as directed, the bacteria may become resistant to the medications and the medications may not work. It is very important to follow the doctor’s instructions and continue taking the medications properly until the end of the treatment.

Medical costs for tuberculosis can be subsidized by public funds.

5. Is there a foreign language consultation service?

The Tuberculosis Prevention Association (Kekkaku Yobo-kai – 結核予防会) offers free telephone consultation about tuberculosis for foreigners living in Japan.

Public health nurses are available for individual consultations and to provide information and materials, especially during the following hours.

FAX contacts are always accepted.

Please feel free to contact us, as your personal privacy is protected.

Telephone consultation on tuberculosis for foreigners from the Institute of Tuberculosis Research of the Japan Society for Tuberculosis Prevention	TEL: 03-3292-1218 03-3292-1219 FAX： 03-3292-1292	English, Chinese, Korean (upon reservation), Vietnamese	Tuesday	10:00~12:00 13:00~15:00
		Burmese	Tuesday	10:00~12:00
		Nepali	Every second and fourth Tuesday of the month	10:00~12:00