Tuberculosis
· Definition
TUBERCULOSIS (mycobacterium tuberculosis) also called TB is an oxygen requiring atypical bacteria.
· Overview
· Tuberculosis is one of the oldest known human diseases.
· Tuberculosis infects 5 million new people every year and up to 40% of the world’s population is infected with Tuberculosis.
Every year about 3 millions people die from Tuberculosis.
· Symptoms
The most common symptom of Tuberculosis is a chronic cough. The cough is usually dry (nonproductive) but can become productive of phlegm and blood as the Tuberculosis worsens.
Other symptoms of Tuberculosis include:
fatigue
unexplained weight loss
fever
night Sweats
· Diagnosis
· Tuberculosis can be diagnosed with a tuberculin skin test, but a positive reaction does not distinguish between previous infection and active disease
· Tuberculosis can also be diagnosed on a Chest X-ray which may have characteristic findings of a Tuberculosis infection
Active infection of the lungs can be diagnosed by isolating Tuberculosis in a test of a sputum
· Complications
· Tuberculosis predominantly infects the lungs after inhalation of an infected droplet.
· Tuberculosis can spread to the lining around the lungs, and to bones, joints, brain, heart and abdomen.
Tuberculosis can be fatal
· Treatment
· Tuberculosis can be resistant to treatment and is treated with 3 to 4 medications for 6 months.
The four major medications used are:
isoniazid
rifampin
pyrazinamide
ethambutol
References
International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 1999
Posted on September 4, 2009
