WHAT IS TUBERCULOSIS

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by Bacterium tuberculosis

(MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other
parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in which case it is known as
latent tuberculosis. Around 10% of latent infections progress to active disease which,
if left untreated, kill about half of those affected. Infection of other organs can cause a
wide range of symptoms. Tuberculosis also remains a major killer because of the
increase in drug-resistant strains. Over time, some TB germs have developed the
ability to survive despite medications.
Drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis emerge when an antibiotic fails to kill all of the
bacteria it targets.
The surviving bacteria become resistant to that drug and often other antibiotics as
well.
Some TB bacteria have developed resistance to the most commonly used treatments,
such as isotonic and revamping (Fading, Nectarine).
Some TB strains have also developed resistance to drugs such as the antibiotics.
The risks factors are that anyone can get tuberculosis, but certain factors can increase
your risk, including weakened immune system.
A healthy immune system often successfully fights TB bacteria.
However, several conditions and medications can weaken your immune system,
including:
-HIV/AIDS
-Diabetes
-Severe kidney disease
-Certain cancers
-Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy
-Drugs to prevent rejection of transplanted organs
-Some drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crown's disease and psoriasis
-Malnutrition or low body weight
-Very young or advanced age
-Traveling or living in certain areas.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF TUBERCULOSIS

Some people who acquire Bacterium Tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB, do
not experience symptoms. This condition is known as latent TB.
TB can stay dormant for years before developing into active TB disease.
It's called active TB if you have symptoms.
However, in some cases, symptoms might not develop until months or even years
after the initial infection. Sometimes the infection does not cause any symptoms. This
is known as latent TB.
General symptoms of TB. Because active TB typically causes many symptoms.
Your symptoms might not begin until months or even years after you were initially
infected.
While symptoms usually relate to the respiratory system, they could affect other parts
of the body, depending on where the TB bacteria grow.
Symptoms caused by TB in the lungs include:
-Extreme tiredness or fatigue
-Cough lasting more than 3 weeks
-Coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm)
-Chest pain
-General TB symptoms
-Unexceptionable fatigue
-Weakness
-Fever
-Chill’s
-knight sweats
-Appetite loss
-Weight loss
-Along with general symptoms
TB that spreads to other organs can also cause blood in urine and loss of kidney
function, if TB affects the kidneys back pain and stiffness, muscle spasms, and spinal
irregularity if TB affects the spine, nausea and vomiting, confusion, and loss of
consciousness, if TB spreads to the brain.
These symptoms can have many different causes, however, and are not always a sign
of TB.
Most TB infections affect the lungs, which can cause a persistent cough that lasts
more than 3 weeks and usually brings up phlegm, which may be
bloody,breathlessness that gradually gets worse.
TB outside the lungs less commonly, TB infections develop in areas outside the lungs,
such asthma small glands that form part of the immune system (the lymph nodes), the
bones and joints, the digestive system, the bladder and reproductive system, and the
brain and nerves (the nervous system).
Symptoms can include:
-Persistant swollen glands
-Admominal pain
-Pain and loss of movement in an affected bone or joint
confusion
-Persistent headache
-Fist (seizures).

HOW DOES THE TUBERCULOSIS SPREAD

Tuberculosis is spread from one person to the next through the air when people who
have active TB in their lungs cough, spit, speak, or sneeze. People with Latent TB do
not spread the disease.
Active infection occurs more often in people with HIV/AIDS and in those who
smoke.
Diagnosis of active TB is based on chest X-rays, as well as microscopic examination
and culture of body fluids.
WHAT’S THE CAUSE OF TUBERCULOSIS
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a type of bacterium called Bacterium tuberculosis. It's
spread when a person with active TB disease in their lungs coughs or sneezes and
someone else inhales the expelled droplets, which contain TB bacteria.
Although TB is spread in a similar way to a cold or flu, it is not as contagious.
You would have to spend prolonged periods (several hours) in close contact with an
infected person to catch the infection yourself.
For example, TB infections usually spread between family members who live in the
same house. It would be highly unlikely for you to become infected by sitting next to
an infected person on, for instance, a bus or train.
Not everyone with TB is infectious. Children with TB or people with a TB infection
that occurs outside the lungs (extra pulmonary TB) do not spread the infection.
LATENT OR ACTIVE TB
In most healthy people, the immune system is able to destroy the bacteria that cause
TB. But in some cases, the bacteria infect the body but do not cause any symptoms
(latent TB), or the infection begins to cause symptoms within weeks, months or even
years (active TB).
Up to 10% of people with latent TB eventually develop active TB years after the
initial infection.
This usually happens either within the first year or two of infection, or when the
immune system is weakened for example, if someone is having chemotherapy
treatment for cancer.
THE OTHER FACTORS THAT CAN CAUSE TUBERCULOSIS ARE
-Using substances.
Like IV drugs or excessive alcohol use weakens your immune system and makes you
more vulnerable to tuberculosis.
-Using tobacco.
Greatly increases the risk of getting TB and dying of it.
-Working in health care.
Or regular contact with people who are ill increases your chances of exposure to TB
bacteria.
-Living or working.
In a residential care facility. People who live or work in prisons, homeless shelters,
psychiatric hospitals or nursing homes are all at a higher risk of tuberculosis due to
overcrowding and poor ventilation.
-Living with someone infected with TB.
And close contact with someone who has TB increases your risk.

HOW CAN YOU PREVENT TUBERCULOSIS

Keeping your immune system healthy and avoiding exposure to someone with active
TB is the best way to prevent a TB infection.
To prevent the transmission of tuberculosis are improving ventilation in door spaces
so there are fewer bacteria in the air.
Using germicidal UV lamps to kill airborne bacteria in buildings where there are
people at high risk of TB. To protect your family and friends if you have active TB
Follow these tips to help keep your friends and family from getting sick:
-Stay home.Don't go to work or school or sleep in a room with other people.
-Ventilate the room.Tuberculosis germs spread more easily in small closed spaces
where air doesn't move. If it's not too cold outdoors, open the windows and use a fan
to blow indoor air outside.
-Cover your mouth.Use a tissue to cover your mouth anytime you laugh, sneeze or
cough. Put the dirty tissue in a bag, seal it and throw it away.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF TUBERCULOSIS

-The active TB Disease.
The active TB is an illness in which the TB bacteria are rapidly multiplying and
invading different organs of the body.
The typical symptoms of active TB variably include cough, phlegm, chest pain,
weakness, weight loss, fever, chills and sweating at night. A person with active
pulmonary TB disease may spread TB to others by airborne transmission of infectious
particles coughed into the air.
If you are diagnosed with an active TB disease, be prepared to give a careful, detailed
history of every person with whom you have had contact. Since the active form may
be contagious, these people will need to be tested, as well.
Multi-drug treatment is employed to treat active TB disease. Depending on state or
local public health regulations, you may be asked to take your antibiotics under the
supervision of your physician or other healthcare professional.
This program is called "Directly Observed Therapy" and is designed to prevent
abandonment or erratic treatment, which may result in "failure" with continued risk of
transmission or acquired resistance of the bacteria to the medications, including the
infamous multi-drug resistant TB (MDR TB).
- Miliary TB.
Miliary TB is a rare form of active disease that occurs when TB bacteria find their
way into the bloodstream. In this form, the bacteria quickly spread all over the body
in tiny nodules and affect multiple organs at once. This form of TB can be rapidly
fatal.
- Latent TB Infection.
Many of those who are infected with TB do not develop overt disease. They have no
symptoms and their chest x-ray may be normal. The only manifestation of this
encounter may be reaction to the tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon-gamma
release assay (IGRA). However, there is an ongoing risk that the latent infection may
escalate to active disease. The risk is increased by other illnesses such as HIV or
medications which compromise the immune system. To protect against this, the
United States employs a strategy of preventive therapy or treatment of latent TB
infection.