This is one of the few diseases for which treatment is mandatory. You can go to prison for knowingly contracting it

Tuberculosis is one of the most contagious diseases. It is wrongly considered forgotten. In Poland in 2019, over 5 people fell ill with it. people. — Virtually anyone can get tuberculosis. If left untreated, it can lead to death, especially when detected late — says the drug Lidia Stopyra, specialist in infectious diseases and pediatrics. On March 24, World Tuberculosis Day is celebrated.

1. According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), 2019 million people worldwide contracted tuberculosis in 10. In Poland, there were over 5 illnesses.
2. This infectious disease in our country is subject to obligatory treatment and obligatory hospitalization
3. This obligation applies to very infectious diseases which pose a direct threat to the health or life of other people. The introduction of such a solution is intended to break the chain of infections — explains the contagious Lidia Stopyra
4. – A person who, while being ill, consciously infects, is subject to criminal liability – reminds the doctor
5. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Monika Mikołajska, Medonet: Some infectious diseases are subject to obligatory treatment and obligatory hospitalization. Among them there are, among others tuberculosis in the mycobacterial stage. What does such an obligation really mean?

Dr Lidia Stopyra: First, let’s distinguish two things. According to the act on preventing and combating infections and infectious diseases in humans, three diseases are subject to obligatory treatment. These are syphilis, gonorrhea and pulmonary tuberculosis (the most common type of tuberculosis) during the tuberculosis period. Mycobacteria means that the disease is very contagious. This can happen in the early stages, but also in later phases — this happens, inter alia, in people who are immunosuppressed. Coming back to diseases with the obligation to treat, in my opinion, HIV infection should also be added to them, the route of transmission is analogous to the aforementioned syphilis and gonorrhea.

There are more diseases that require hospitalization, including COVID-19 (unless prescribed by a physician to isolate at home), diphtheria, typhoid fever, rabies, encephalitis, meningitis, but also tuberculosis in the mycobacterial stage or if there is a reasonable suspicion that it is occurring.

1. Read also: We’ve lost herd immunity to measles. All because of refusal of vaccinations

The obligation of treatment and hospitalization applies to very infectious diseases that pose a direct threat to the health or life of other people. The introduction of such a solution is intended to break the chain of infections.

What if the patient does not want to undergo compulsory hospitalization?

In the case of illnesses without the obligation of hospitalization, the patient may refuse to stay in the hospital and no one can force him to do so. If such a patient, for example, becomes unconscious, treatment should be considered, unless he or she has previously made a declaration of will that he or she does not agree to any life-saving measures. In such a situation, the patient is responsible for himself. However, in the case of diseases that require hospitalization, a similar decision would pose a great risk to others. Here, consent to hospitalization is not necessary.

Therefore, the law provides for specific actions, including the use of a direct coercive measure, i.e. restraint, immobilization (e.g. use of a straitjacket) or compulsory administration of drugs. The physician always decides about the use of this option and its form, who informs the patient about it, he also personally supervises its implementation (special care should be taken and the patient’s welfare should be taken care of). The medic may also ask the police or border guards for help.

Of course, the patient is informed about the danger to others posed by his disease and what behaviors he must avoid until the infectivity is over. If, despite such knowledge, he continues to infect consciously, he will be subject to criminal liability. Details can be found in the act on preventing and combating infections and infectious diseases in humans and in the penal code (according to Art.161 of the Penal Code, he is punishable by imprisonment from 3 months to 10 years — note ed.).

Why is tuberculosis one of the diseases subject to obligatory treatment and hospitalization?

Tuberculosis is one of the most contagious diseases known and one of the oldest. If left untreated, it can lead to death, especially when detected late. Virtually anyone can get tuberculosis. The group of people more exposed to tuberculosis includes the elderly and immunosuppressed people, e.g. treated with anticancer, also debilitated patients.

1. Also read: Is polio more dangerous than before? Cases in other countries

The disease affects various organs and tissues (e.g. the brain, joints and bones), but most often it affects the respiratory system. In the first stage, tuberculosis may proceed in the latent phase without symptoms, later it may lead to periods of remission and exacerbation. Vaccination, which is performed in the first days of a child’s life, and which is obligatory for us, protects against severe forms of infection, e.g. against the involvement of the central nervous system, but does not protect against the infection itself. So despite vaccination, infection is possible.

The rest of the article is available under the video.

Tuberculosis is sometimes referred to as a forgotten disease. Is it still dangerous to us?

In 2019, over 5 people fell ill with tuberculosis. So it cannot be said that this disease is not among us. These numbers may be due to the fact that there are more and more people at risk in our society. Hence, isolation and treatment during the mycobacterial stage is necessary, and it must be known that in most cases tuberculosis is fully curable, although the most important condition is early detection of the disease.

The problem is the resistance of mycobacteria tuberculosis to newer and newer drugs. Mycobacterium tuberculosis mutates very quickly and new variants resistant to the drugs used arise. At the moment, multi-drug resistant strains are a huge problem. This poses a great danger that tuberculosis may spiral out of control. Hence, it is so important to prevent the spread of the disease.

Also read:

1. 14 diseases that we (almost) forgot thanks to vaccinations
2. A Pole discovered the polio vaccine. Who was Hilary Koprowski?
3. He lost his doctoral title for cheating. Vaccine opponents cite him to this day
4. Do you accept refugees from Ukraine? Some important tips on how to take care of their health
5. Ukrainian children will be subject to compulsory vaccinations. The health ministry explains the rules