Tuberculosis | Latent TB infection | Tuberculosis Treatment and Prevention

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Tuberculosis

The bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the cause of tuberculosis, or TB, an infectious disease. The American Lung Association states that while the bacteria primarily targets the lungs, it can also damage other parts of the body and is airborne from person to person. The illness has existed for the most of human existence and can occasionally be extremely fatal. Actually, experts have been able to trace the history of tuberculosis back over 5,000 years, to early Egypt. The Hebrew term "schachepheth" is used to refer to tuberculosis (TB) in the biblical books of Deuteronomy and Leviticus.

Hippocrates refers to it as "phthisis" in his writings. A dangerous disease that mostly affects the lungs is tuberculosis (TB). One group of bacteria is responsible for tuberculosis. When a person with tuberculosis coughs, sneezes, or sings, the disease can spread. This may release minute amounts of the germs into the atmosphere. The bacteria can then enter the lungs of another individual who inhales the droplets. Wherever individuals congregate in large groups or live in close quarters, tuberculosis is prone to spreading. Individuals with compromised immune systems, such as those living with HIV/AIDS, are more susceptible to tuberculosis than healthy individuals. Antibiotic medications are used to treat TB. However, some of the bacterial strains are now resistant to antibiotics.

Symptoms

A tuberculosis (TB) infection occurs when the bacteria from the disease survive and grow in the lungs. There are three phases to a tuberculosis infection. Every stage has a particular set of symptoms.

Primary infection with tuberculosis: The initial phase is referred to as the main infection. Immune system cells locate and seize the pathogens. The germs might be entirely destroyed by the immune system. However, some trapped bacteria might continue to exist and proliferate.

A primary infection usually causes no symptoms at all for most people. Some people may experience symptoms similar to the flu, like:

·         Low fever

·         Fatigue

·         Cough

Latent TB infection:

Latent tuberculosis infection typically follows primary infection. TBC-infected lung tissue is surrounded by a wall formed by immune system cells. If the immune system manages to contain the bacteria, they will be unable to cause any more damage. However, the bacteria endure. When a TB infection is latent, there are no symptoms.

Causes

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the bacteria that causes tuberculosis.Individuals who have active tuberculosis in their voice box or lungs can transmit the disease. They emit microscopic droplets into the atmosphere, which disperse the germs. This may occur as they talk, sing, laugh, sneeze, cough, or cough. Inhaling the droplets can cause an infection in the person. Spending a lot of time together indoors increases the risk of the disease spreading. Thus, in environments where individuals live or work together for extended periods of time, the disease spreads easily. Furthermore, the illness spreads more quickly in large groups. A latent tuberculosis infection prevents the disease from spreading to other people.

Treatment

The TB virus is treatable. Four conventional antibiotics are used in a six-month course of treatment. Isoniazid and rifampicin are common medications. The common medications sometimes have no effect on the TB germs. Here, the patient suffers from drug-resistant tuberculosis. Drug-resistant TB requires a more involved and prolonged course of treatment. A health professional or trained volunteer provides the patient with information, supervision, and support throughout the course of TB medication. Adherence to therapy can be challenging in the absence of such assistance. Inadequate completion of treatment increases the risk of drug resistance and disease dissemination. TB preventative medication can be used to halt the emergence of disease in the event of TB infection, which occurs when a patient has the TB bacterium but is not sick.