What is TB (Tuberculosis)?

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection. It can be fatal if left untreated. TB mostly affects your lungs, but can also affect other organs, such as your brain. The bacteria that cause TB is transmitted from person to person through tiny droplets released into the air by coughing and sneezing. It began to increase in 1985, partly due to the emergence of HIV, which causes AIDS. HIV weakens the immune system, so a person's body cannot fight tuberculosis germs. Many types of tuberculosis are resistant to the drugs most commonly used to treat the disease. People with active TB have to take many medications for months to get rid of the infection and prevent antibiotic resistance.

What Are the Symptoms of Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis that is not yet active does not show any symptoms. But it can be found with a skin reaction test or a blood test. People with active TB may have one of the following symptoms: Fever. Night sweats. Fatigue or weakness. Loss of appetite. Bad cough (lasting longer than two weeks). Chest pain. Coughing up blood or phlegm (mucus). Shake. Weight loss.

When is it necessary to go to the doctor?

See a doctor if you have a fever, unexplained weight loss, severe night sweats, or a persistent cough. These are usually signs of TB, but there may be other causes as well. In addition, it is important to consult a doctor if TB is suspected. What are the Treatment Methods for Tuberculosis? With treatment, this disease can often be cured. A course of antibiotics will usually need to be taken for six months. Several different antibiotics are used because some strains of TB are resistant to certain antibiotics. If infected with a drug-resistant form of TB, treatment with six or more different drugs may be required. If pulmonary TB is diagnosed, the disease is contagious for about two to three weeks of the course of treatment. At this point it is important to take some basic precautions to stop the spread of the infection. It is most perverse for the patient to stay away from work, school, or university until the doctor says it is safe to return. Mouth should always be covered when coughing, sneezing or laughing, used tissues should be carefully thrown into a closed plastic bag.

It is very important to regularly ventilate living spaces. If you come into contact with someone who has tuberculosis, you should definitely get tested. These may include a chest X-ray, blood tests, and a skin test called the Mantoux test.