Jillian Dickens
Northern News Services

Iqlaluit (Nov 28/05) - Rumours run rampant in small communities, and TB rumours are no exception.

It's no rumour Nunavut has 17 times the tuberculosis than anywhere else in Canada and that many impoverished Nunavummiut living in Third-World conditions are at risk of getting infected.

Active TB cases over the years 2000 - 48 2001 - 40 2002 - 27 2003 - 7 2004 - 32 2005 - 39 so far

So far this year, 39 cases of active TB have been diagnosed - a leap from the 32 total cases in 2004 and the seven cases in 2003.

With the jump in active cases comes a rise in rumours. Extinguishing these is a big part of Mary Potyrala's job.

As the acting regional TB co-ordinator, Potyrala is in charge of informing and treating people with either active (causing sickness) and sleeping (non-threatening) TB.

People with sleeping (or dormant) TB cannot spread the disease. Potyrala, along with her team of health care officials, works hard to get that point across to people.

But even so, she has heard cases of people with dormant TB isolating themselves for fear they will spread the sickness.

"There are huge misconceptions," said Potyrala, who is based out of Iqaluit.

Rumours have been known to spin from possible side effects medication taken to treat TB can cause.

When diagnosed with active TB, the person undergoes a six-month treatment plan to eradicate the disease.

The patient must take four different medicines a day, all with possible side effects.

But, says Potyrala, the risk of side effects is very low.

"They are uncommon," she says.

Vision problems is one possible side effect of one of the drugs.

There is a rumour passing through Iqaluit that someone undergoing TB treatment is going blind.

"I am not aware of anybody having vision problems due to treatments," said Potyrala. "When I hear these stories I think, maybe they need glasses, maybe it has something to do with colour blindness."

The likelihood of someone with diagnosed active TB spreading the disease is slim to none.

As soon as someone is found to have active TB, they are isolated from the public in either their home or the hospital, and treated. After the treatment, they are deemed no longer at risk to spread the disease.

The diagnosed person's at-risk contacts are tested to determine if they are infected, says Potyrala.

The risk of spreading the disease comes from people who have yet to be tested.

That's why getting tested for TB if you are at risk or are showing symptoms, is severely important, says Potyrala.