Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially serious infectious disease caused by bacteria, usually affects the lungs, though it can affect any organ in the body. It can develop when bacteria that cause TB through droplets in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Tuberculosis (TB)
Tuberculosis (TB): Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments
TB is preventable and treatable in many cases, but it can be fatal. In addition, TB has increased with the advent of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, in developed countries. Because viruses destroy the immune system of an HIV infected person, they are unable to fight TB germs and become infected.
What is Tuberculosis (TB)?
TB is a potentially serious infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) bacteria, a person may develop TB after inhaling the virus. usually, TB affects the lungs, TB is one of the most contagious diseases, but it is possible to spread the disease only because of close contact with an infected person.
Causes of Tuberculosis (TB)
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) bacteria cause TB can spread through the air in droplets, when an infected person with pulmonary TB spits, laughs, coughs, sneezes, or talks. Only people with active TB can transmit the infection.
Symptoms of Tuberculosis (TB)
Sometimes even if you are infected, your body will try to get rid of it. At such times, one does not show any symptoms, for this reason, it is classified into two:
Latent TB: In this case, you have a TB infection, your body may not have any symptoms of the virus, the bacteria remain in your body in an inactive state, it is not dangerous. But if left untreated, this can lead to a dangerous condition. An estimated 2 billion people in the world are at risk of latent TB.
Active TB: In this case, you become infected, increases chances of transmission to others. This can sometimes occur within weeks or years after a virus infection. A person should see a doctor if they experience any of these signs and symptoms of active TB include:
- Coughing up blood
- Coughing that lasts three or more weeks
- Chest pain, or pain with breathing or coughing
- Swelling in the neck
- Unintentional weight loss
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Chills
- Night sweats
- Loss of appetite
The TB skin test and the TB blood test are the two tests, can show whether TB bacteria are present or not. One may become infected through the following three situations.
- Getting close to a person who has or is at risk of TB
- Spend time in a place with high rates of TB
- Work in areas where the disease is at risk
- Work in health care and treat people with a high risk of TB
- If use IV drugs
- If you have HIV/AIDS
What are the Treatments of Tuberculosis (TB)
If detected early, with appropriate antibiotics, TB can be cured without being dangerous. Determining the right antibiotic and duration of use will depend on the following:
- Age of the person and overall health
- Whether they have latent or active TB
- The area of the infection
- Whether the strain of TB is drug resistant
Treatment duration can range from two weeks to 9 months, depending on the severity of the disease. The treatment will be more complex in person who has a drug-resistant strain of TB. If the condition is low or high, it is necessary to take the full medication. If someone stops medication early, the bacteria can survive in their body and make the situation worse again to resistant to antibiotics, which lead to developing drug-resistant TB.
Smoking and second-hand smoke increase the risk of TB, these factors make it difficult to treat the disease, increases the returning after treatment. Without treatment, TB can be fatal and can also lead to sepsis, a form of infection which is potentially life-threatening.
