Tuberculosis Definition.

What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a life-threatening infection that primarily affects your lungs. Every year, tuberculosis kills nearly 2 million people worldwide. The infection is common — about one-third of the human population is infected with TB, with one new infection occurring every second.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially fatal contagious disease that can affect almost any part of the body but is mainly an infection of the lungs. It is caused by a bacterial microorganism, the tubercle bacillus or Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although TB can be treated, cured, and can be prevented if persons at risk take certain drugs, scientists have never come close to wiping it out. Few diseases have caused so much distressing illness for centuries and claimed so many lives.

Tuberculosis spreads through airborne droplets when a person with the infection coughs, talks or sneezes. In general, you need prolonged exposure to an infected person before becoming infected yourself. Even then, you may not develop symptoms of the disease. Or, symptoms may not show up until many years later.

Left untreated, tuberculosis can be fatal. With proper care, however, most cases of tuberculosis can be treated, even those resistant to the drugs commonly used against the disease.

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Causes of Tuberculosis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis,spreads in microscopic droplets that are released into the air when someone with the untreated, active form of the disease coughs, speaks, laughs, sings or sneezes.

Although tuberculosis is contagious, it's not especially easy to catch. In general, you need long-term contact with an infected person to become infected yourself. You're much more likely to contract tuberculosis from a family member or close co-worker than from a stranger on a bus or in a restaurant. A person with nonresistant active TB who's been effectively treated for at least two weeks is generally no longer contagious. Rarely, a pregnant woman with an active TB disease may pass the bacteria to her fetus.

TB infection versus active TB
Although TB can affect other organs and tissues, it primarily attacks your lungs. Approximately two to eight weeks after your lungs are infected with M. tuberculosis, your immune system springs into action. Macrophages — specialized white blood cells that ingest harmful organisms — begin to surround and "wall off" the tuberculosis bacteria in your lungs, much like a scab forming over a wound. If the macrophages are successful, the bacteria may remain within these walls for years — alive, but in a dormant state. In this case, you're considered to have TB infection and you'll test positive on the TB skin test, but you won't feel sick or have symptoms and you can't transmit the disease to others.

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Recomended Treatment

Tuberculosis treatment

Treatment of tuberculosis (TB) takes six to nine months and sometimes longer. TB can be cured in almost all cases by taking the medications as prescribed by your doctor for the full course of treatment (at least six months).

Like all medications, your anti-tuberculosis tablets can cause side effects. Your doctor will monitor your progress during treatment to make sure the medication is working. This will usually involve blood, sputum or urine tests and chest x-rays.

Tell your doctor immediately if you experience illness or symptoms
It is important to tell your doctor or health care worker immediately if you experience any unexplained illness or the following symptoms:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Jaundice – yellowish skin or eyes, dark urine (orange/red urine is a normal side effect and is not harmful)
• Unexplained fever or tiredness
• Tingling or numbness of hands or feet, or joint pains
• Skin rash, itching skin or bruising
• Visual changes or change in red-green colour vision.

Side effects of specific tuberculosis medications
The different medications used to treat tuberculosis are associated with specific side effects:

• Isoniazid – may make you feel tired or nauseous or make you lose your appetite. It can cause numbness or tingling in your hands or feet but this is rare in well-nourished people.
• Rifampicin – reduces the effectiveness of the contraceptive pill so talk to your doctor about other forms of contraception. It can stain lens implants and contact lenses so tell your doctor if you use these.
• Ethambutol or Myambutol – can cause visual problems. Your eyesight will be checked during treatment but you should stop taking the medication if your vision is affected and call your doctor straight away.
• Pyrazinamide – can lead to nausea and a loss of appetite. It is usually only taken for the first two to three months of treatment. Consult with your doctor if you develop unexplained rashes, fever, aches or joint pains.

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