Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs but it can also affect the other parts of the body. It is mainly caused by a bacterium known as mycobacterium tuberculosis. Understanding the signs, symptoms and causes of tuberculosis is very necessary because it remains a major health console worldwide. It is also known as tb. In this blog we cover everything you need to know about this disease including the symptoms, causes and treatment of tuberculosis.

What is tuberculosis?

Actually it is a contagious infection that can spread through tiny droplets released into the air when an infected person cough or sneeze. Moreover, tuberculosis primarily affects the lungs, but it also has the ability to affect other parts of the body like the kidney, spine and brain. If we could not provide proper treatment to the patient of TB then it could be fatal.

Signs and symptoms of tuberculosis

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of tuberculosis is very necessary and important for the early diagnosis and treatment. Tb can we classify into two types: active and latent.

Active Tb:

• In active the bacteria are active and are the main cause of symptoms
• It is contagious
• Required medical attention immediately

Latent tb:

• In latent Tb the bacteria that are in the body are not active and are in inactive state.
• There are no symptoms present in the body.
• It is not contagious
• If it does not treat it can be turned into active Tb.

Common symptoms of active Tb:

Persistent cough: Cough is the first and main symptom of TB. A cough that last more than three weeks is not a normal cough. If your cough also remains more than three weeks you must take medical advice. Sometimes the cough also comes with blood or mucus.

Chest pain: Pain in the chest is also the main symptom of TB. Most commonly the pain occurs when the patient breathe or cough.
Fever: A low grade fever is also the symptoms of tb.

Weight loss: Another main and important symptom of tb is severe weight loss. The patient also faced loss of appetite.
Fatigue: Feeling exhausted and weak all the time. The patient of TB always want to take rest because of extreme weakness.

Causes of Tuberculosis

Tb is mainly caused by bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Here are some primary ways by which Tb speed and the risk factors associated with it.

Airborne: The bacteria of Tb are released into the air when someone with an active TB of the lung or throat cough, sneezes, speaks or sings. People near the patient of TB can inhale the bacteria through the nose and become infected.

Risk factors:

Weak immune System: AIDS, diabetes, severe Kidney Disease, and cancer are the main causes to weak the immune system. If your immune system is weak then there is a high chance that you have tb.

Geographical location: Living or travelling to areas with high rates of TB, is also the main cause to have tb.
Healthcare workers: If you are a health care worker and you have increased exposure to Tb patient then there is a high chance to have tb.

Diagnosis of Tuberculosis:

Early diagnosis is very essential for controlling the spread of the Tb. There are several tests that can help to diagnose the Tb.

TST: It is tuberculin skin test. In this test a small amount of tuberculin is injected under the skin of the forearm. After 2 to 3 days the healthcare professional check the injection site for swelling. If the test is positive then it indicates TB but further tests also needed to confirm active Tb.
Blood test: IGRAs(Interferon-gamma release assays) measure the new system response to Tb bacteria.

Chest X-ray: Chest X-ray also helps to identify the changes in the lungs that is the main cause of tb. So health care professionals can also diagnose tb by chest x-ray.
Sputum Test: A sample of mucus coughed up from the lungs is tested for tb bacteria. This test is very helpful to confirm the active Tb and to confirm the specific strain of bacteria.

Treatment of Tuberculosis

The treatment of TB involves a course of antibiotic over a period of at least 6 months. Most of the patients recover in the sixth month but there are also such types of patients that have to take medicine more than that of 6 months. The exact treatment of TB depends on whether the TB is latent or active.

Latent Tb Treatment: Antibiotic known as Isoniazid and Rifampin can be taken for 6 to 9 months for the treatment of latent TB.

Active Tb Treatment: Isoniazid, Rifampin, Ethambutol, and Pyrazinamide are the most common medicines to be used for the treatment of tb. A health care professional supervises the patient to take their medication.

Preventing Tuberculosis

Preventing TB involves a number of strategies to reduce the risk of infection and control its speed.
Vaccination: Commonly, the BCG vaccine is given to the infants and young children in the countries that have high rates of Tb. This vaccine offers protection against the severe form of Tb.
Preventive Therapy: People who have latent TB can take medication to prevent the development of active Tb.

Living with Tuberculosis

Living with Tb is very challenging but it can be treated with proper treatment and support. Most of the people can recover completely with proper treatment. Here are some tips that help you a lot in managing the Tb.

Take Medicines on time: Take all the prescribed medication exactly as described by your health care professional on time.
Healthy Lifestyle: Eat a balanced diet to support your immune system.

Avoid spreading Tb: Cover your mouth with a tissue or with the mask. Away from the other as much as possible until you are recovered.
Support System: Seek support from friends, family or group. Communicate with your health care professional about any concern or side effects.

Conclusion

Tb is a serious but treatable disease. Understanding the signs, symptom, causes and treatment of TB is essential for managing and preventing Tb. By following preventive measures and speaking medical attention can reduce the impact of tb.