| Tuberculosis is a germ infection caused | | | | Some of the TB symptoms are cough for a |
| by Mycobacterium tuberculosis which | | | | long period of time, fever, night |
| generally affects the lungs, but it can | | | | sweats, loss of weight and appetite, |
| also affect kidneys, lymph nodes, spine, | | | | chest pains and breathing difficulties. |
| intestinal tract and brain. | | | | To diagnose the infection with TB there |
| Tuberculosis is spreading by air, if an | | | | are some tests to be done. |
| infected person coughs sneezes or | | | | One way to diagnose TB is by performing |
| shouts, the germs spreading into the | | | | a skin test called the intra-dermal |
| air. By inhaling them other people get | | | | reaction of tuberculin. The person that |
| infected. | | | | is suspected to be or to have been |
| At the thoracic X-ray appear granulomas | | | | infected with TB is considered to have |
| (granular tumors) in the lungs. | | | | developed a hypersensitivity to the TB |
| Most people's immune system contains the | | | | germ. |
| primary infection, but some do not have | | | | The test consists in injecting into the |
| this particularity, and so, the disease | | | | skin a purified protein derived from the |
| may occur within weeks after the primary | | | | TB germ. After more then 48 hours the |
| infection. | | | | skin area will present a bump. If the |
| Some people shed the TB germ into their | | | | bump is large, the test is considered to |
| lungs for years and at some moment the | | | | be positive, meaning that the TB |
| germs could activate and the infection | | | | infection has occurred. |
| could manifest. | | | | Even if the test is negative, it should |
| The easiest to infect are the children | | | | be repeated after a while, because the |
| and people who have a weakened immune | | | | test is not a 100 percent accurate. |
| system (those undergoing chemotherapy, | | | | Another method of diagnosing TB is |
| those who had an organ transplant and | | | | performing a thoracic X-ray that will |
| now take immunosuppressive drugs, and | | | | show the affected lung areas. |
| those infected with HIV). | | | | And last, but not the least, is the |
| To prevent TB in children doctors give | | | | sputum test. If the suspected person |
| them shots of the bacillus Calmette | | | | coughs, doctors take the sputum and with |
| Guerin (BCG) vaccine. | | | | the help of the microscope they search |
| The risk of catching TB increases with | | | | for the TB germs in it. |
| the frequency of contacting other | | | | Also doctors can perform a Bronchoscopy, |
| infected people, with miserable living | | | | a Thoracocentesis and rarely, biopsy of |
| conditions and with poor nutrition. | | | | the affected tissue. |
| Lately there has been noticed an | | | | For the treatment to be effective, |
| increase of TB cases in US, probably | | | | patients must take their prescribed dugs |
| because of the increased number of | | | | during all the period of time they were |
| people infected with HIV, the increased | | | | advised by the doctor, otherwise they |
| number of homeless people and of the | | | | could get multiple organ complications |
| appearance of drug resistance (caused by | | | | and even die. |
| an incomplete TB treatment). | | | | By following all the doctor's |
| In US there are 10 cases of TB per | | | | indications, one can cure in about 6 to |
| 100000 people and those infected with | | | | 9 months of TB and get back to its |
| AIDS are among them, due to their | | | | normal life. |
| weakened immune system. | | | | |