| In the elder people, tuberculosis (TB) is not easy to | | | | the germ by culture in the laboratory. In the elder |
| detect and diagnose because it does not manifest so | | | | people, even though the tuberculosis microbes are |
| clearly in these people, and doctors can easily be lead | | | | generally found in a small amount, it makes doctors |
| to suspect another disease. | | | | consider the test positive. |
| If there are some symptoms present, doctors tend | | | | Another reliable test is the thoracic Rx, which show |
| to classify them as belonging to other diseases more | | | | exactly if TB is present and where in the lungs is |
| specific to old people. | | | | localized. |
| The most frequent symptom found in TB is the | | | | Even a total negative test could mask the presence |
| cough that is present for a long time. At first, | | | | of TB, which is the reason why in case of a suspicion |
| doctors think of pneumonia or flu, because they | | | | of TB, the tests will be repeated after a while, when |
| affect elders easily and have cough as a primarily | | | | TB will be active. |
| symptom. | | | | If the elder acquired the germs earlier in life, the |
| If old patients lose weight and appetite, this could be | | | | drugs that will be administered will be highly efficient, |
| a sign of a gum disease, a digestion disease, or | | | | because those old germs had not met before with |
| cancer, or even of bad eating habits. But it also could | | | | these new drugs and are not resistant to them. |
| be a sign of TB. | | | | Also, an association of drugs is benefic in treating TB. |
| TB can affect spin, kidneys, lymph nodes and | | | | Even though it is a difficult treatment it must be held |
| intestinal tract, not only the lungs, and so, a person | | | | for some months, otherwise the disease could |
| infected with TB can develop fever, night sweats, | | | | spread, affecting other organs, and leading to death. |
| kidney problems or bowel irregularities. Another TB | | | | Also, TB is a contagious disease, and people who |
| symptom is coughing accompanied by blood spitting. | | | | suffer of this illness must be hospitalized and treated |
| And easy and reliable test to see if you are infected | | | | with special drugs for a while, until they get better |
| with tuberculosis microbes is the intra-dermal reaction, | | | | and the microbe will not be able to transmit to other |
| a skin test. If positive, doctors will try an isolation of | | | | people too. |