| Tuberculosis is a germ infection caused by | | | | immune system (like those people who have HIV) |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis which generally affects | | | | the bacillus could reactivate and manifest, and even |
| the lungs, but it can also affect kidneys, lymph | | | | affect other organs. |
| nodes, spine, intestinal tract and brain. | | | | Most people's immune system contains the primary |
| Scientists discovered years ago tubercles in | | | | infection, but some do not have this particularity, and |
| mummified bodies, this proving that TB has existed | | | | so, the disease may occur within weeks after the |
| at least since 2000BC. Also, writings of the ancient | | | | primary infection. Some people shed the TB germ |
| Egypt, Babylonia and China mention about the | | | | into their lungs for years and at some moment the |
| existence of TB. | | | | germs could activate and the infection could manifest. |
| Tuberculosis is considered by the unadvised ones to | | | | And easy and reliable test to see if you are infected |
| be a disease that affects only the poor and | | | | with tuberculosis microbes is the intra-dermal reaction, |
| disadvantaged people. This is an old conception and it | | | | a skin test. If positive, doctors will try an isolation of |
| has been proven that anyone can get affected by | | | | the germ by culture in the laboratory. In the elder |
| tuberculosis. | | | | people, even though the tuberculosis microbes are |
| The easiest to infect are the children and people who | | | | generally found in a small amount, it makes doctors |
| have a weakened immune system (those undergoing | | | | consider the test positive. |
| chemotherapy, those who had an organ transplant | | | | If the suspected person coughs, doctors take the |
| and now take immunosuppressive drugs, and those | | | | sputum and with the help of the microscope they |
| infected with HIV). | | | | search for the TB germs in the sputum. This is quite |
| In the elder people, tuberculosis (TB) is not easy to | | | | an accurate method of diagnosing TB. |
| detect and diagnose because it does not manifest so | | | | In treating TB, doctors use a combination of |
| clearly in these people, and doctors can easily be lead | | | | antibiotics because using only one drug could lead to |
| to suspect another disease. | | | | the bacterial resistance to this drug. The drugs used |
| If you have a strong immune system you could not | | | | nowadays are: isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and |
| get ill of TB even if you come in contact with | | | | ethambutol, in different combinations. |
| infected subjects. You could also inactivate the virus | | | | Generally if the treatment is followed all the way, a |
| and keep it locked in your lungs by creating with the | | | | person can heal without problems, and reintegrate |
| help of macrophages a scar tissue all around the | | | | within the society in about 6 to 9 months. |
| infected area, but in the moment you get a weaker | | | | |