Tuberculosis - commuicable disease that affects the lungs
treatmeant options
Tuberculosis can be treated with anitibiotics, these medications will vary depending on the patient. all medication must be taken according to proper instructions for the entierty of the perscribed time.
people that are unable to take the madications by themselves are able to apply for observed care, where a nurse will help them take medication at the proper times
medication will also be provided fro symptom management, the chest pain and the cough.
medical care
when treating TB in a medical setting, TB preventative protocal should be inforced, along with droplet transmission protocals. the patient must be quarantined, alone or with other TB cases.
everything going in and out of the room must be sanitized properly, especially the air - using a high efficency air filter or uv irradiation.
medical professionals
some medical professional that participate in the treatment and recover of TB are Your family doctor, a pulmonologist and an internist. an infectious disease specialist may also be refered.
your family doctor will refer you to the pulmonologist, who specializes in diseases of the respiratory system and the internest, who specializes in the treatmeant of internal organs.
Diagnosis
There are two major ways to diagnos TB, a skin test and a blood test. there is also the phlegm and even x-rays.
The skin test is where they inject non-infectious TB protien under the skin and determine the result from the reaction, this take about 2 - 3 days.
risk factors
People with untreated latent TB can develop active TB, thoses with compromised immune systems are also at higer risk of developing TB. those who are at risk are seperated into those who have been in contact with the bacteria and those with weak immune systems.
so people that have been in contatct with a TB positive patient, immigrants from TB high areas and people that work at high TB risk areas - hospitals or nursing homes.
those with organ transplants, who suffer from addiction and certain types of cancer, Very old or very young people.
Chain of infection
Suseptible host - anyone is suseptible to TB, especially those with respiratory disease and low immune systems, aswell as those who were infected with latent TB.
Portal of entry - TB enter through the respiratory system
Mode of transmission - TB is droplet transmission
Portal of exit - the infection exits out the repespiratory system through coughing and sneezing.
resevoir - the resivoir of this bacterium is in the body , in oxygen and blood rich spaces.
Pathogen - the bactera that causes TB is called mycobacterium tuberculosis
Causes
Tuberculosis is caused by a bacteria, and is spread from person to person through droplet transmission.
droplet transmission is when viruses or bacteria travel though the air via sneezes, coughs or speaking.
signs & symptoms
some signs and symptoms of Active Tuberculosis are; long lasting cough with phlegm and blood, weightloss, chest pain, chills and fevers.
TB has the ability to spread to other areas of the body.
Latent TB happens when someone with TB shows no symptoms and cannot infect anyone else.
prevention
You can avoid contracting TB by blocking your mouth and nose. By testing regularly for TB you can prevent accidentaly spreading it, washing hands an dhaving good personal hygiene.
Taking all perscribed medications properly will also stop the spread.
