Tuberculosis (TB)

TB is a bacterial infection that can spread through the lymph nodes and bloodstream to any organ in your body. It is most often found in the lungs. Most people who are exposed to TB never develop symptoms because the bacteria can live in an inactive form in the body. In their active state, TB bacteria cause death of tissue in the organs they infect. Active TB disease can be fatal if left untreated.

Symptoms

• Generalized tiredness or weakness
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Loss of Appetite
• Coughing
• Pleurisy (a sharp pain felt in the chest when breathing deeply or coughing)
• Coughing up of sputum (materials from the lungs)
• Shortness of breath
• Night sweats

Causes

Bacteria that cause tuberculosis are transmitted through the air, the disease can be contagious. Infection is most likely to occur if you are exposed to someone with TB on a day-to-day basis, such as by living or working in close quarters with someone who has the active disease. Even then, because the bacteria generally stay latent (inactive) after they invade the body, only a small number of people infected with TB will ever have the active disease. The remaining will have what's called latent TB infection which shows no signs of infection and won't be able to spread the disease to others, unless their disease becomes active.

Diagnosis

The tuberculin skin test (TST) also commonly known as the PPD is used to detect TB in individuals at risk for new infection, such as those at increased risk due to a weakened immune system. A small amount of liquid purified protein derivative (PPD) from the TB bacteria is injected just under the top layer of skin on your arm. After two to three days, a doctor or nurse will evaluate your arm to see if the test is positive. If it is, you will have a hard, red welt at the injection site. A positive result means you have been infected with TB, even if the infection is not active. If your test is positive, your healthcare provider will do a thorough physical exam and order an X-ray of your lungs to reveal whether the disease is active. For patients in whom there is high suspicion for lung infection with TB, other tests will be ordered using samples of your saliva. If these samples come back positive, you have active pulmonary TB.

Treatment

Treatment for TB depends on whether it is active or latent.

Life style modifications

• Wear a mask to cover your nose and mouth to avoid infecting others.

• Cover your mouth with a tissue when coughing and sneezing then seal the tissue in a bag to throw it away.

• Make sure the rooms you are in have adequate ventilation, so that any bacteria you do exhale are carried away.

• Take all of your medications on time and for the full period.