What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection. It can be fatal if left untreated. Tuberculosis mostly affects your lungs, but it can also affect other organs, such as your brain. The bacteria that cause tuberculosis are spread from person to person through small droplets released into the air by coughing and sneezing. It began to increase in 1985, due in part to the emergence of HIV, which causes AIDS. HIV weakens the immune system, so the person's body cannot fight tuberculosis germs. Many types of tuberculosis are resistant to the drugs most used to treat the disease. People with active tuberculosis must 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. However, it can be found with a skin reaction test or 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 more than two weeks). Pain in the chest. Coughing up blood or phlegm (mucus). Shake. Weight loss.

When Should You See a Doctor?

If you have fever, unexplained weight loss, severe night sweats, or persistent cough, you should see a doctor. These are usually symptoms of tuberculosis, but there may be other causes as well. It is also important to consult a doctor if tuberculosis infection 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 types of tuberculosis are resistant to certain antibiotics. If infected with a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis, treatment with six or more different drugs may be required. If pulmonary tuberculosis is diagnosed, the disease is contagious for approximately two to three weeks of treatment. At this point, it is important to take some basic precautions to stop the spread of the infection. It is best for the patient to stay away from work, school or university until the doctor says it is safe to return. The mouth should always be covered when coughing, sneezing or laughing, and used tissues should be carefully disposed of in a closed plastic bag.

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