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