Tuberculosis is a contagious disease caused by a severe bacterial infection. Which can be communicated through the air through breathing, sneezing, coughing or living with TB patients for a long period of time. Tuberculosis is a disease that can be cured if the patient continues to take medication.
While tuberculosis is considered a disease that often occurs in people infected with HIV (HIV) due to impaired immunity, tuberculosis can become infected and show symptoms easily.
Tuberculosis symptoms
Tuberculosis symptoms are divided into 2 phases, Latent TB and Active TB. The infection will develop slowly, may take weeks. Until many years until showing any symptoms
- Latent TB In latent TB, when the patient is infected, no symptoms will be shown because the infection is not stimulated. But the bacteria remain in the body And can cause symptoms until entering the symptom phase, However if the patient is detected during the latent period The doctor may ask for treatment and control the spread of the infection. Including reducing the risk of the symptoms going into the symptoms phase
- Active TB is the stage in which the infection is triggered until various symptoms occur. This symptom is clearly visible, such as chronic coughing, bloody coughing, chest pain or feeling of pain when breathing or exhaustion. with fever, chills, pain, sweating at night, loss of weight and appetite decreased.
In most cases, tuberculosis shows lung symptoms, which is called pulmonary tuberculosis, but the infection can spread to other parts of the body and cause dangerous abnormalities such as bone tuberculosis, meningococcal tuberculosis.
Causes of tuberculosis
The cause of tuberculosis is caused by micro bacterial infection with tuberculosis. (Mycobacterium Tuberculosis) that can be spread through the air through coughing, sneezing, speaking and breathing, with increased risk of tuberculosis if you have stayed. Or travelling from an area with a large number of TB patients Have had close contact and contact with the infected person People with weak immunity from serious illnesses Or undergoing treatment with immunosuppressant drugs And those with poor health From nutritional problems, drug addiction, or alcoholism Not only Children and the elderly are still at risk for tuberculosis. Since both ages are healthier than adults
While healthy people are less at risk of contracting TB. Because the immune system will eliminate the infection naturally Or if having received the infection before, the patient is healthy Infection will not show any symptoms as well.
Tuberculosis treatment
Treatment of tuberculosis is possible by continuous medication adherence with health care. The drugs that doctors use to treat are Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Ethambutol, Pyrazinamide. If people Sick with drug resistance May also need to use other drugs in order to effectively treat such as streptomycin (Streptomycin) and Levofloxacin ( Levofloxacin ), etc.
But the drugs used to treat tuberculosis are drugs with serious side effects. And maybe toxic to the liver Therefore, in the treatment Doctors and patients must cooperate to observe the symptoms closely. If the patient has nausea and vomiting, decreased appetite, difficulty breathing, and fever for many days without any reason. Swelling in the face and neck Have problems seeing vision, pale skin, yellow or abnormally dark urine Patients should seek immediate medical attention for safety.
