“Latent” tuberculosis
So far, four of them have the “latent” form of tuberculosis, which has no symptoms and is not contagious. No one has developed the “active” form of the disease, which attacks the lungs in half of the cases, but can also affect other organs such as the lymph nodes, kidneys and bones.
About two weeks after the departure of his sick neighbor, Mr. Côté received an unexpected message from a nurse on his voice mail. He was summoned to the Sainte-Foy CLSC. It was there that, like several other roomers in the house, he went to be tested for tuberculosis.
The test results indicated latent tuberculosis. In the meantime, Mr. Côté, 50, began to cough in a sustained manner and to feel very tired. Worried about his symptoms, he went to be examined at the beginning of last week at the University Institute of Cardiology and Pneumology in Quebec.
He says an x-ray showed spots on his lung and a preliminary test suggested he had active tuberculosis.
After a day in the hospital, he says, his doctors let him go home while waiting for his blood test results the next day. One doctor “told me that if I didn’t have a call the next day, my ‘lungs weren’t projecting the disease’ … and come back for the stain on my lungs after the end of the antibios. That’s all.”
Tuberculosis can be transmitted when bacteria in a sick person’s lungs are released into the air, through mini-droplets of saliva, and are inhaled by another person. But it takes “prolonged exposure” to these bacteria to become infected, says Dr.r Paradise. “We are talking about many, many hours. Often it’s around 60 hours, 120 hours. “
And again, infected does not mean sick, underlines the doctor. Only 10% of people with the latent form of TB develop the “active” form of the disease – and its symptoms – in their lifetime.
Mandatory declaration
The fact remains that tuberculosis, which was the leading cause of death in Canada in 1867, is a disease that must be declared and treated in Quebec. And when a case is reported to it, the Public Health Directorate contacts all those who could be infected.
Mr. Côté had no bad news after his visit to the hospital. But as a preventive measure, he left with a prescription for amoxyclav, an antibiotic against potential bacterial pneumonia. He takes one pill after breakfast and one after dinner for seven days.
Even if he does not have the active form of the disease, the fifty-something does not feel reassured. He is afraid that the symptoms will appear. “I will always keep the possibility of an activation behind the scenes,” he emphasizes. It’s in my blood for life! ”
Mr. Savard *, one of the four roomers who has latent tuberculosis, is also afraid of suffering from the disease. A simple cough can make him nervous. “Is it the flu or is it tuberculosis coming out?” he asks himself.
The two men also wonder how the tuberculosis got to their rooming house.
The disease has been decreasing in Quebec over the past 30 years thanks to the treatment and monitoring of those affected. The number of new cases varies between 200 to 280 per year in the province. According to the Health Agency of Canada, people born outside of Canada represent the majority (70%) of reported TB cases in the country.
It is currently unknown where the young man was infected with tuberculosis. But the manager of the Sainte-Foy rooming house, Richard Chenevert, thinks he would have been slow to seek treatment in Quebec to avoid getting into trouble with Immigration.
Mr. Chenevert says he learned after the young man’s departure that his immigration papers were no longer in order. “His visa was expired,” he said. The manager indicates having been in contact with the immigration authorities and affirms that the passport of the sick lodger has been seized.
“What I concluded was that, perhaps because his visa was not renewed, the gentleman was not going to the hospital. He didn’t want to get caught, perhaps, by immigration. […] Otherwise, in my opinion, it would have been way before that. ”
* The first names of MM. Côté and Savard were omitted at their request.
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