What Is Pulmonary Tuberculosis? Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is bacteria that attack your lungs. It is a potentially deadly disease, but it is curable if you get medical help and follow your doctor’s instructions.
The bacterium (germ) that causes TB is called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This germ can cause other kinds of TB, but pulmonary TB is the most common. You can get sick with TB if you inhale the droplets exhaled by a person who has the disease. Although TB is preventable and treatable, according to the World Health Organization, up to 66 percent of the people who get sick with TB will die if they do not get proper medical care.
People at Risk People who are most at risk for developing TB disease are: - the elderly - small children - smokers - people who already have an immune system problem, such as HIV - people who do not regularly see a doctor, such as homeless - people who live in crowded conditions, such as prisons
In some countries where TB rates are dangerously high, a vaccine called Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is used. Although BCG is somewhat helpful in preventing people from catching TB, it is not considered effective enough to justify wide use.
Types of TB: Latent TB vs. TB Disease About one-third of the world’s population has been infected with the germs that cause TB. Most of these people do not get sick right away because their immune systems can fight the germs.
In those people, the disease goes to sleep and is called “latent TB. ” People with latent TB have no symptoms and cannot make other people sick—but they must still be tested and treated. People with latent TB can develop symptoms and become contagious at any time. Then, they are said to have “TB disease. ”
How Can I Keep From Getting TB? You can avoid getting TB by - staying away from people who have the disease, - avoid long periods of time in enclosed rooms with someone who has TB, - air out those rooms regularly, - cover your face with a mask.
What Are the Symptoms of Pulmonary TB? People with latent TB have no symptoms, but they should still be treated. Symptoms of pulmonary TB include: ü coughing that continues for several days
ücoughing up blood üfever
üexcessive sweating üchest pain
üunexplained weight loss üfatigue
Because these are signs of other diseases, too, you should see a doctor to find out their cause.
How Is Tuberculosis Treated? Most bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics for a week or two, but TB is different. Patients with TB take one or more medications for six to nine months.
How is Tuberculosis Diagnosed? Doctors can use TB skin tests and blood tests to determine whether a person is carrying the TB bacteria. A TB skin test involves injecting 0. 1 m. L of a purified protein derivative of TB into the skin. After two to three days, the patient returns to the doctor’s office. If the area around the injection is raised, the patient may be TB-positive. However, this test is not perfect. Some people do not respond to the TB test even if they have TB. People who have recently received the TB vaccine may test positive but not have TB.
A blood test is sometimes recommended to determine whether a patient has latent or active TB. These tests may not be available in all areas.
Other diagnostic tests include a chest X-ray, which checks for small spots in the lungs. These spots are a sign of TB infection and indicate that the body is trying to isolate TB bacteria. A physician may also order tests on sputum or mucus extracted from deep inside the lungs to check for the bacteria.
Because TB bacteria can be resistant to certain drug types, a doctor may prescribe multiple medications, including: v isoniazid v ethambutol (Myambutol) v pyrazinamide v rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
High-dose antibiotics can harm the liver. Patients should know liver-injury symptoms, such as: v appetite loss v dark urine
v fever more than three days v nausea and/or vomiting
v jaundice (yellowing of the skin) See your doctor immediately if you have these symptoms.
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