Nurse's mysterious symptoms were tuberculosis

Arlene Rabvukwa was rushed into hospital

A Kent nurse who said her mysterious symptoms turned out to be tuberculosis (TB) ended up becoming a patient in the hospital she worked in.

Arlene Rabvukwa, 34, from Gravesend, was rushed into hospital, struggling to understand her symptoms of weakness and lethargy.

"I'd been feeling tired and run down for months. It was a mystery," she said.

"I just kept getting weaker every day. I was in hospital for two weeks when the TB community nurses came to see me and explained they would be looking after me. That moment changed everything."

She said she "could never repay" nurses for what they did

Ms Rabvukwa, from Gravesend, worked at Darent Valley, the same hospital where she was diagnosed, and was prescribed a combination of antibiotics, having regular blood tests and x-rays to monitor her progress.

She was diagnosed with TB in September 2023 and had active treatment for a year.

"Having been a nurse myself, I know what drives us is the desire to help others. I felt that completely when I was at my lowest," she said.

"I could never repay them for what they did."

She said it was one of those diseases you don't really hear about any more, but found herself putting plans to start a family on hold and cancelling holidays.

"Life as we knew it stopped," she added.

But she said nurses didn't just treat her illness but supported her "through every fear and uncertainty".

She has now started a TikTok account to raise awareness of the symptoms and treatment of TB.

Kent Community Health NHS Trust's team of nine specialist nurses work across east and north Kent.

Nicola Holmes, one of the TB nurses who cared for Arlene, said: "Arlene had been very unwell, but her dedication to her treatment was incredible. We saw her grow stronger every day."

Ms Rabvukwa has lasting lung damage and will need ongoing care from an NHS respiratory team.

TB is caused by bacteria and can spread through close contact with people who have TB and have symptoms.

The NHS trust said although TB rates were low in Kent, some people including those experiencing homelessness, drug and alcohol dependency, were at higher risk than others.

Dame Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA), warned on Tuesday that TB "remains a serious public health issue in England".

Speaking at the UKHSA conference in Manchester, she said: "Data shows reported notifications having increased by 11% in 2023, and a further 13% increase in provisional data for 2024."