Tuberculosis

[fototek1]

Long story short....Last November I got sick while in Bulacan and spent some time in the hospital. After a bunch of testing (back in the US) I was diagnosed with Latent TB. It is a long story if I give all the details. Basically, at some point, some time in my life,  I was exposed to someone with TB (likely in the Philippines). Treatment for Latent TB is optional in the US and I opted to complete the treatment while I am healthy. Just finished today.

Have you ever been tested or treated for TB in the Philippines?

 

I have been to the Philippines many times and we (wife is filipina) plan on retiring in 3 years and spending half the year there. I have been lurking and reading this forum for years :) now its time to start asking questions and preparing.

[sonjack2847]

I have not had it but can you still get a jab to protect yourself?

 

[Old55]

Glad you were able to overcome this while in the US and healthy. 

Good to have you aboard no longer lurking. We plan to spend part of each year in Philippines starting in one to two years. What area do you plan to stay?

[fototek1]

The area is yet to be determined. We own 2 businesses in Bulacan and my wife's family is there. I personally like Cebu as I have friends there and it was the first place I visited in the Philippines. We have seen a bit of the country, Palawan, Bohol, Most of Cebu, alot  of Luzon, Samar, Lagazpi, Bicol. If I were to have to choose Luzon I would like Baguio, Sagada, Tagaytay, Bataan (wifes family owns property and business' here) or Batangas. BTW I was born early 70's how about each of you? 

 

[fototek1]

1 hour ago, sonjack2847 said:

I have not had it but can you still get a jab to protect yourself?

 

They do not give TB immunization in the US anymore. They stopped doing that here in the 60's

[BrettGC]

1 minute ago, fototek1 said:

They do not give TB immunization in the US anymore. They stopped doing that here in the 60's

Interesting, I know Australian military still receive it as routine when you first sign up.. I still have the scar on my arm from my dose.  But it's the same in Australia for the general public, it's not routine as it was thought to be eradicated but there have been a few documented cases in the last couple of years.  

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, fototek1 said:

They do not give TB immunization in the US anymore. They stopped doing that here in the 60's

That is too bad.  In the Philippines there are still 512 TB cases out of every 100,000 adults so with no vaccination this is a dangerous place to be.  The incidence of TB is not reducing over the last decade but neither does it appear to be increasing.  The do immunize here but Tuberculosis is still number 6 on the "leading cause of death" charts.

http://www.philcat.org/PDFFiles/2.NTPSPhilCAT_17Aug2017_Dr. Lansang.pdf

[Gary D]

We have lost one or two relations to TB in the last 20 years, all living in poor conditions in Manila. I was inoculated as a child and apparently it can be dangerous to have a second one. Childhood inoculation for TB is free in the Philippines but the very poor don't bother through ignorance rather than any other reason.