Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that usually affects the lungs, though it can affect any organ in the body. It can develop when bacteria spread through droplets in the air. TB can be fatal, but in many cases, it is preventable and treatable.
In the past, TB was a major cause of death around the world.
What is tuberculosis?
A person with TB may experience swollen lymph nodes.
A person may develop TB after inhaling Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) bacteria.
When TB affects the lungs, the disease is the most contagious, but a person will usually only become sick after close contact with someone who has this type of TB.
TB infection (latent TB)
A person can have TB bacteria in their body and never develop symptoms. In most people, the immune system can contain the bacteria so that they do not replicate and cause disease. In this case, a person will have TB infection but not active disease.
Doctors refer to this as latent TB. A person may never experience symptoms and be unaware that they have the infection. There is also no risk of passing on a latent infection to another person. However, a person with latent TB still requires treatment.
The body may be unable to contain TB bacteria. This is more common when the immune system is weakened due to illness or the use of certain medications.
When this happens, the bacteria can replicate and cause symptoms, resulting in active TB. People with active TB can spread the infection.
The risk of developing active TB is higher in:
Anyone with a weakened immune system
Anyone who first developed the infection in the past 2–5 years
Older adults and young children
People who use injected recreational drugs
People who have not received appropriate treatment for TB in the past
Early warning signs:
A person should see a doctor if they experience:
A persistent cough, lasting at least 3 weeks
Phlegm, which may have blood in it, when they cough
A loss of appetite and weight
A general feeling of fatigue and being unwell
Swelling in the neck
A fever
Night sweats
Chest pain
Symptoms
Latent TB: A person with latent TB will have no symptoms, and no damage will show on a chest X-ray. However, a blood test or skin prick test will indicate that they have TB infection.
Active TB: A person with TB disease may experience a cough that produces phlegm, fatigue, a fever, chills, and a loss of appetite and weight. Symptoms typically worsen over time, but they can also spontaneously go away and return.
Beyond the lungs:
TB usually affects the lungs, though symptoms can develop in other parts of the body. This is more common in people with weakened immune systems.
TB can cause:
Persistently swollen lymph nodes, or “swollen glands”
Abdominal pain
Joint or bone pain
Confusion
A persistent headache
Seizures
Request an appointment or treatment at mahaba herbal ltd
Speak with a doctor
Diagnosis
A person with latent TB will have no symptoms, but the infection can show up on tests. People should ask for a TB test if they:
Have spent time with a person who has or is at risk of TB
Have spent time in a country with high rates of TB
Work in an environment where TB may be present
A doctor will ask about any symptoms and the person’s medical history. They will also perform a physical examination, which involves listening to the lungs and checking for swelling in the lymph nodes.
Two tests can show whether TB bacteria are present:
The TB skin test
The TB blood test
However, to further investigate for active or latent TB disease, the doctor may recommend a sputum test and a chest X-ray.
Everyone with TB needs treatment, regardless of whether the infection is active or latent.
Treatment
With early detection and appropriate treatment TB is treatable.
The right type of treatment will depend on:
The person’s age and overall health
Whether they have latent or active TB
The location of the infection
Whether the strain of TB is drug resistant
Treatment for latent TB can vary.
It is essential to complete the full course of treatment, even if symptoms go away. If a person stops taking their medication early, some bacteria can survive and become resistant. In this case, the person may go on to develop drug resistant TB.
Causes
Mycobacterium, tuberculosis bacteria cause TB. They can spread through the air in droplets when a person with pulmonary TB coughs, sneezes, spits, laughs, or talks.
Only people with active TB can transmit the infection. However, most people with the disease can no longer transmit the bacteria after they have received appropriate treatment.
Prevention:
Ways of preventing TB from infecting others include:
Getting a diagnosis and treatment early
Staying away from other people until there is no longer a risk of infection
Wearing a mask, covering the mouth, and ventilating rooms
Risk factors:
People with weakened immune systems are most likely to develop active TB. The following are some issues that can weaken the immune system.
HIV:
For people with HIV, doctors consider TB to be an opportunistic infection. This means that a person with HIV has a higher risk of developing TB and experiencing more severe symptoms than a person with a healthy immune system.
Treatment for TB can be complex in a person with HIV, but a doctor can develop a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses both issues.
TB can become a complication of HIV too.
Smoking
Tobacco use and secondhand smoke increase the risk of developing TB. These factors also make the disease harder to treat and more likely to return after treatment.
Quitting smoking and avoiding contact with smoke can reduce the risk of developing TB.
Other conditions
Some other health issues that weaken the immune system and can increase the risk of developing TB include:
Low body weight
Substance abuse disorders
Diabetes
Silicosis
Severe kidney disease
Head and neck cancer
Also, some medical treatments, such as an organ transplant, impede the functioning of the immune system.
Complications:
Without treatment, TB can be fatal.
If it spreads throughout the body, the infection can cause problems with the cardiovascular system and metabolic function, among other issues.
TB can also lead to sepsis, a potentially life threatening form of infection.
Bottom line
An active TB infection is contagious and potentially life threatening if a person does not receive appropriate treatment. However, most cases are treatable, especially when doctors detect them early.
Anyone with a high risk of developing TB or any symptoms of the disease should see a doctor as soon as possible.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that usually affects the lungs, though it can affect any organ in the body. It can develop when bacteria spread through droplets in the air. TB can be fatal, but in many cases, it is preventable and treatable.
In the past, TB was a major cause of death around the world.
What is tuberculosis?
A person with TB may experience swollen lymph nodes.
A person may develop TB after inhaling Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) bacteria.
When TB affects the lungs, the disease is the most contagious, but a person will usually only become sick after close contact with someone who has this type of TB.
TB infection (latent TB)
A person can have TB bacteria in their body and never develop symptoms. In most people, the immune system can contain the bacteria so that they do not replicate and cause disease. In this case, a person will have TB infection but not active disease.
Doctors refer to this as latent TB. A person may never experience symptoms and be unaware that they have the infection. There is also no risk of passing on a latent infection to another person. However, a person with latent TB still requires treatment.
The body may be unable to contain TB bacteria. This is more common when the immune system is weakened due to illness or the use of certain medications.
When this happens, the bacteria can replicate and cause symptoms, resulting in active TB. People with active TB can spread the infection.
The risk of developing active TB is higher in:
Anyone with a weakened immune system
Anyone who first developed the infection in the past 2–5 years
Older adults and young children
People who use injected recreational drugs
People who have not received appropriate treatment for TB in the past
Early warning signs:
A person should see a doctor if they experience:
A persistent cough, lasting at least 3 weeks
Phlegm, which may have blood in it, when they cough
A loss of appetite and weight
A general feeling of fatigue and being unwell
Swelling in the neck
A fever
Night sweats
Chest pain
Symptoms
Latent TB: A person with latent TB will have no symptoms, and no damage will show on a chest X-ray. However, a blood test or skin prick test will indicate that they have TB infection.
Active TB: A person with TB disease may experience a cough that produces phlegm, fatigue, a fever, chills, and a loss of appetite and weight. Symptoms typically worsen over time, but they can also spontaneously go away and return.
Beyond the lungs:
TB usually affects the lungs, though symptoms can develop in other parts of the body. This is more common in people with weakened immune systems.
TB can cause:
Persistently swollen lymph nodes, or “swollen glands”
Abdominal pain
Joint or bone pain
Confusion
A persistent headache
Seizures
Request an appointment or treatment at mahaba herbal ltd
Speak with a doctor
Diagnosis
A person with latent TB will have no symptoms, but the infection can show up on tests. People should ask for a TB test if they:
Have spent time with a person who has or is at risk of TB
Have spent time in a country with high rates of TB
Work in an environment where TB may be present
A doctor will ask about any symptoms and the person’s medical history. They will also perform a physical examination, which involves listening to the lungs and checking for swelling in the lymph nodes.
Two tests can show whether TB bacteria are present:
The TB skin test
The TB blood test
However, to further investigate for active or latent TB disease, the doctor may recommend a sputum test and a chest X-ray.
Everyone with TB needs treatment, regardless of whether the infection is active or latent.
Treatment
With early detection and appropriate treatment TB is treatable.
The right type of treatment will depend on:
The person’s age and overall health
Whether they have latent or active TB
The location of the infection
Whether the strain of TB is drug resistant
Treatment for latent TB can vary.
It is essential to complete the full course of treatment, even if symptoms go away. If a person stops taking their medication early, some bacteria can survive and become resistant. In this case, the person may go on to develop drug resistant TB.
Causes
Mycobacterium, tuberculosis bacteria cause TB. They can spread through the air in droplets when a person with pulmonary TB coughs, sneezes, spits, laughs, or talks.
Only people with active TB can transmit the infection. However, most people with the disease can no longer transmit the bacteria after they have received appropriate treatment.
Prevention:
Ways of preventing TB from infecting others include:
Getting a diagnosis and treatment early
Staying away from other people until there is no longer a risk of infection
Wearing a mask, covering the mouth, and ventilating rooms
Risk factors:
People with weakened immune systems are most likely to develop active TB. The following are some issues that can weaken the immune system.
HIV:
For people with HIV, doctors consider TB to be an opportunistic infection. This means that a person with HIV has a higher risk of developing TB and experiencing more severe symptoms than a person with a healthy immune system.
Treatment for TB can be complex in a person with HIV, but a doctor can develop a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses both issues.
TB can become a complication of HIV too.
Smoking
Tobacco use and secondhand smoke increase the risk of developing TB. These factors also make the disease harder to treat and more likely to return after treatment.
Quitting smoking and avoiding contact with smoke can reduce the risk of developing TB.
Other conditions
Some other health issues that weaken the immune system and can increase the risk of developing TB include:
Low body weight
Substance abuse disorders
Diabetes
Silicosis
Severe kidney disease
Head and neck cancer
Also, some medical treatments, such as an organ transplant, impede the functioning of the immune system.
Complications:
Without treatment, TB can be fatal.
If it spreads throughout the body, the infection can cause problems with the cardiovascular system and metabolic function, among other issues.
TB can also lead to sepsis, a potentially life threatening form of infection.
Bottom line
An active TB infection is contagious and potentially life threatening if a person does not receive appropriate treatment. However, most cases are treatable, especially when doctors detect them early.
Anyone with a high risk of developing TB or any symptoms of the disease should see a doctor as soon as possible.
