| 1. What kind of disease is tuberculosis? | | | | this treatment with another. It is |
| Tuberculosis is a disease caused by a | | | | important that the patient follow the |
| bacterium which affects mostly the lungs | | | | treatment as prescribed otherwise the |
| but can affect the bones, kidney, and | | | | bacteria might continue to live in the |
| other organs too. | | | | lung and harm the patient. |
| 2. How can the doctor know when a | | | | During this treatment with isoniazid the |
| patient has tuberculosis? | | | | patient is not allowed to drink alcohol |
| Most of the doctors follow a procedure | | | | as side effects can appear and interfere |
| based on several tests. At first they | | | | with the treatment efficiency. |
| perform a PPD skin test, and if this | | | | 5. After 6 months is the patient cured? |
| test is positive there is a chance for | | | | Normally if the patient follows the |
| you to have been infected with | | | | prescribed treatment the tuberculosis |
| tuberculosis. Then a thoracic X-ray is | | | | should disappear. There are some cases |
| done along with a physical exam to check | | | | in which the bacteria is resistant to |
| out whether you are contagious or not. | | | | the prescribed pill and so it is still |
| Most of the people are PPD positive but | | | | in the lungs after the treatment is |
| this does not mean they are contagious. | | | | done. But tests made at the end of the |
| 3. PPD positive means I am sick? | | | | treatment will show whether the patient |
| Normally PPD positive persons are not | | | | is fine or needs another treatment. |
| sick with tuberculosis they have the | | | | 6. What are the symptoms of active |
| bacteria in their lungs but they are not | | | | tuberculosis? |
| affected by it. As long as the person | | | | The patients might have fever, loss of |
| has an intact immune system the disease | | | | appetite, night sweats, loss of weight |
| will not manifest but if their immune | | | | and intense cough and fatigue. |
| system weakens then the bacteria might | | | | 7. How can active tuberculosis be |
| wake up and manifest. Only then a person | | | | treated? |
| is considered to be sick. | | | | The treatment is made out of a drug |
| 4. How can the tuberculosis infection be | | | | combination. The following drugs are |
| treated? | | | | used in treating active tuberculosis: |
| The treatment lasts for 6 months and the | | | | Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Ethambutol, and |
| patient has to take every day a pill | | | | Pyrazinamide. These drugs must not be |
| called isoniazid, and at the same hour. | | | | taken with alcohol or acetaminophen |
| Every month the patient will go for a | | | | because they can cause side effects. If |
| check up and the doctor will prescribe | | | | any of the following appear do not |
| the same treatment if there are no side | | | | hesitate to call your doctor: nausea, |
| effects from the pill. If nausea, or | | | | vomiting, blurred vision, skin rash, |
| skin rash appear the doctor will replace | | | | extreme tiredness, jaundice and fever. |