Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

A dangerous condition that mostly affects the lungs is tuberculosis (TB).When a person with tuberculosis coughs, sneezes, or sings, the disease may spread. Small droplets containing the germs may enter the air as a result. The germs then reach the lungs of a different individual who may breathe in the droplets.

The risk of contracting TB is greater in those with HIV/AIDS and other immune system disorders than in healthy individuals.

Antibiotic medications are used to treat TB. However, certain strains of the bacteria are no longer susceptible to cures.

Symptoms

A TB infection occurs when tuberculosis (TB) bacteria persist and grow in the lungs. One of the three phases of TB infection may be present.

first-time TB infection. The initial infection is the first stage. Immune system cells locate and seize the pathogens. 

For the most part, a primary infection is symptomless.

minimal fever.

Tiredness.

Cough.

latent tuberculosis. Latent TB infection is the stage that often follows primary infection. Immune system cells surround lung tissue harboring TB bacteria with a wall. If the immune system manages to keep the germs in check, they cannot cause any more damage. But the bacteria persist. 

active tuberculosis. When the immune system fails to control an infection, active , including the lungs. TB infection may become active as soon as the primary infection is over. But it typically occurs after a latent TB infection has existed for months or years.

Lung TB disease symptoms typically start out mildly and get worse over a few weeks. They may consist of:

Cough.

Blood or mucus being coughed up.

Pain in the chest.

Coughing or breathing discomfort.

Fever.

Chills.

Sweats at night.

Loss of weight.

Unwilling to eat.

Tiredness.  

Generally not feeling well.

Active TB disease outside the lungs. TB infection can spread from the lungs to other parts of the body. This is called extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Common symptoms may include:

Fever.

Chills.

Sweats at night.

Loss of weight.

Unwilling to eat.

Tiredness.

Generally not feeling well.

Pain near the site of infection.

Kidneys.

Liver.

Fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Heart muscles.

Genitals.

Lymph nodes.

Bones and joints.

Skin.

Walls of blood vessels.

Voice box, also called larynx.

Active TB disease in children.

Teenagers. Symptoms are similar to adult symptoms.

1- to 12-year-olds.

Being sluggish or not active.

Unusually fussy.

Vomiting.

Poor feeding.

Bulging soft spot on the head.

Poor reflexes.

Whenever to see a doctor

Get emergency care if you have:

Pain in the chest.

Sudden, severe headache.

Confusion.

Seizures.

Difficulty breathing.

Get immediate or urgent care if you:

Cough up blood.

Have blood in your urine or stool.

Causes

People who have active TB illness in their voice box or lungs may transfer the infection. This may take place when they talk, sing, laugh, cough, or sneeze. After breathing in the droplets, a person may get an infection.

When individuals spend a lot of time together inside, the illness is more likely to spread. In areas where people live or work together often, the illness may thus spread quickly. Additionally, crowded settings make it easier for the illness to spread.

A person who has latent tuberculosis cannot spread the illness to others. After two to three weeks of therapy, a person with active TB illness is often unable to transmit the disease.

Anti-drug TB

The TB bacterium has developed antibiotic resistance in certain types. This implies that medications that used to treat the illness are ineffective.

 If it does survive, it can reproduce.

The circumstances are perfect for more resistant strains of the bacteria to establish themselves and proliferate when antibiotics aren't utilized properly or when they don't completely eradicate the bacterium for some other reason. A new drug-resistant strain of bacteria may develop over time if these germs are spread to additional persons.

These issues may result in bacteria with such drug-resistant strains, among others:

People either stopped using the medications or didn't take them as prescribed.

The proper course of therapy wasn't recommended for them.

There were no drugs available.

The quality of the drugs was appalling.

The drugs weren't properly absorbed by the body.

Risk factors

Although everyone may get TB, various health issues make infections more likely. The likelihood of an infection progressing to active TB disease is increased by other factors.

People who are at a greater risk of contracting TB or having an active TB sickness are advised to get a TB test, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you experience one or more of the risk factors listed below, see your doctor.

Risk of contracting TB

It is easier for the disease to spread from one person to another in certain living or working environments. These situations make getting TB infection more likely:

living next to a TB patient who is still unwell.

living or visiting a country in Latin America, Africa, Asia, or the Pacific Islands where tuberculosis is common.

living or working in places where people live close to one another, such as prisons, nursing homes, and homeless shelters.

being a resident in a neighborhood with a high TB risk.

Active TB illness risk

A weakened immune system increases the likelihood that a TB infection may progress to an active TB disease. Immune system impairments brought on by diseases or treatments include:

HIV/AIDS.

Diabetes.

Significant renal disease.

Head, neck, and blood cancers.

Malnutrition or underweight condition.

Chemotherapy is a kind of cancer treatment.

Drugs that stop transplanted organs from being rejected.

The prolonged use of prescribed steroids.

Use of illegal drugs for injection.

Alcohol abuse.

The use of tobacco products and smoking. 

Age affects the likelihood that a TB infection may become active.

Under 5 years old. Up to the age of five, children are most susceptible to an active TB infection. Young children under two are particularly at risk. In this age group, TB often results in meningitis, a potentially fatal illness that affects the fluid around the brain and spinal column.

Age 15 to 25. 

More than 65 years old. The immune system deteriorates with age. Older people have a larger chance of having active TB disease. It's also possible that the problem will be harder to cure.

Prevention

If you test positive for latent TB infection, you may need to take medicine to prevent the onset of active TB disease.

Preventing the spread of disease

If you have active TB, you must take steps to stop the disease from spreading. You will take medicine for four, six, or nine months. Take all drugs over the whole time frame precisely as directed.

During the first two to three weeks, you could infect others with the TB bacteria.

Stay at home. neither go to work nor school.

Stay home by yourself. As much as you can, try to limit your interactions with family members. Sleep somewhere else.

Ventilate the area. The bacteria that cause TB may spread more quickly in small, confined spaces. If the outside temperature is not too low, open the windows. If your house has multiple windows, use one fan to blow air out and another to blow air in.

Put a mask on. Put on a mask when you have to be among other people. Invite other family members to use masks for protection.

Do not speak out. Cover your mouth with a tissue each time you sneeze or cough. The used tissues should be put in a bag, sealed, and thrown away.

Vaccinations

In places where TB is common, infants are often inoculated with the BCG vaccine. This protects young children who are more likely to have tuberculosis (TB) disease that is active in the fluid that surrounds their brain and spinal cord.

It's possible that the vaccine won't provide protection against lung disease, which is more likely to occur in the US. At various levels, several new TB vaccines are being produced and tested.