Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily infects the lungs, though it can affect other organs as well. Symptoms of tubercular damage have been noticed in Egyptian mummies and in bones dating back at least 5,000 years. Over one-third of the world's population now has the TB bacterium in their bodies and new infections are betiding at a rate of one per second. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, each year, 8 million people worldwide develop active TB and approximately 2 million die. One of the most apprehensioned diseases of the 19th century, TB was the eighth leading cause of death in children 1 to 4 years of age during the 1920s.

Tuberculosis spreads through airborne droplets when a person with the infection coughs, talks or sneezes. As the general criterion of living and medical care improved in the United States, the incidence of TB decreased. The chance of developing active disease is terrific in the first year after infection, but active disease often does not occur until many years later. Left untreated, tuberculosis can be fateful. With prudish care, however, most cases of tuberculosis can be treated, even those resistant to the drugs commonly used against the disease.

In susceptive individuals the organisms may then multiply and spread through lymphatics to the lymph nodes, and through the bloodstream to other sites such as the lung apices, bone marrow, kidneys, and meninges. Miliary tuberculosis is a variant which results from the blood-borne diffusion of a great number of organisms resulting in the simultaneous seeding of many organ systems. The meninges, liver, bone marrow, spleen, and genitourinary system are typically involved. Nonetheless, in individuals with AIDS, extrapulmonary tuberculosis predominates, particularly with lymph node involvement.

The most common grievance is a chronic arthritis usually localized to one joint. Due to the problem of drug-resistant cases, ethambutol can be included in the initial regimen until the results of drug susceptibility studies are known. The community taciturnity of tuberculosis depends on the reporting of all new suspected cases so case contacts can be evaluated and treated appropriately as indicated. Individual tractability with medication is essential.

Causes of Tuberculosis

The common Causes of Tuberculosis :

• Exposure to cold .
• Smoking.
• Dietic errors .
• Mental stress and strain.
• Low body resistance.
• Unhealthy living style.
• Alcohol.
• Living in stuffy rooms.
• Loss of sleep.

Symptoms of Tuberculosis

Some Symptoms of Tuberculosis :

• Fatigue.
• Loss of appetite.
• Fever.
• Chills.
• Cough.
• Weight loss.
• Night sweats.
• Body ache
• Loss of appetite.
• Pain in the chest.

Treatment of Tuberculosis

• If your child has symptoms of TB or has been exposed to TB, call the doctor.
• Your child might have to take many various medications. It is necessary to take ALL of the medicine every day until the doctor says to stop.
• Treatment for TB should begin soon after a positive test. Without treatment, the disease will get worse.
• A child with TB may have to remain in the hospital so others do not catch the infection. People with TB should wear masks so the infection is not spread.
• The doctor will take tests to see if your child has TB. The doctor usually starts by listening to the chest and will take a skin test if needed. If the skin test is positive, the doctor will take a chest x-ray and may take a culture (body fluid) test.