TB: What to do if you do not want to cough up blood

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis - is an airborne infection. Most often it affects the lungs, but can attack and other organs: bones, skin, intestines. To blame for the disease Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. They provoke specific inflammation, because of which in the tissues formed nodules (granulomas) and necrosis (dead tissue that is). Because of their organs can not function properly and the body responds general intoxication.

If the disease is not stopped in time immunity or medicines, the person may die. Tuberculosis is one of the ten most common causes of death worldwideWHO Newsletter.

How and where do you get TB?

The main source of infection - sick people, although there is a possibility of catching tuberculosis and animals.

The more patients around, the higher the chance to meet with the bacterium. In Russia, unfortunately, many are ill. In 2015, the first active TB found in 84 500

Morbidity of socially significant diseases. The total number of TB cases - more than 130 thousandThese countries on TB for the WHO.

To deal with patients, especially in large cities, it can be several times per day.

Most of the patients sick closed form when bacteria affect the body, but are not released into the environment.

But the open form of tuberculosis is much more dangerous to others (and for patients themselves), so it should be treated in a hospital. Prolonged contact with the open form of tuberculosis patients - a huge risk.

Above all probability to catch - in cool, damp areas where people live in cramped, poorly fed and do not follow hygiene. And it's not just the prison, under this description falls and city apartment.

If there are so many patients, I'm sure is infected?

Not. But even infection - it is not a disease. According to WHO, in the world one in three people - the carrier Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but the germs at the same time does not manifest itself. Likely to develop active tuberculosis if the body has bacteria living - 10%Questions and answers WHO.

Who is at risk?

All who live in poor conditions and who have weakened immune system. Under these conditions of latent tuberculosis develop active. At risk are:

1. Relatives of patients with an active form of tuberculosis. The reason - the frequent contact with the bacteria.
2. Children, the elderly, people with chronic diseases. Their immune system may not be strong enough to suppress the progression of the disease.
3. HIV-infected people. They have an active form of the disease develops in 20-30 times more likely than people with intact immune systems.

Tuberculosis is widespread in developing countries. Where there is not enough nutrition, and where there are about a healthy lifestyle do not think.

Full food and sport help to resist even tuberculosis.

As suspected tuberculosis?

TB is difficult to diagnose, because in the early stages it is easy to confuse with any other disease of the respiratory systemTuberculosis in the practice of the therapist. especially with bronchitis.

Symptoms of tuberculosis in the early stages:

1. Slight fever, when the temperature rises to 37-37,5 ° C.
2. Weakness, fatigue: literally no strength for anything.
3. Weight loss. The patient loses weight because of a lack of appetite or for no apparent reason. In children, symptoms of tuberculosis - a slowdown.
4. Strong sweat, especially at night.
5. Chest pain.
6. A cough that persists for several weeks. When the disease progresses, blood in the sputum visible.

The symptoms of TB develop gradually, and not all of them necessarily there. Therefore, the need for children to do Mantoux test, and adults - to take chest X-rays. This allows you to detect the disease, even if it is not proved.

How to protect against tuberculosis?

There are two methods of protection against infection:

1. Non-specific - is the one that helps in the prevention of any infection. Healthy lifestyle, regular hygiene, good living conditions. Truths that need to wash their hands as soon as you come home, ventilate the room, and do exercises to keep in shape.
2. Particular - is one that aims at preventing a specific disease. For example, vaccination.

whether the vaccine will help?

Not 100%. Tuberculosis vaccine BCG there. It does not protect against infection, but it helps to resist the difficult cases. In particular, it does not allow to develop TB meningitisBCG vaccine. WHO position paper. But in the fight against tuberculosis is important cellular immunity, which can not provide the vaccination.

The BCG vaccine helps to not get sick the most severe forms and avoid complications.

This is very important, because it is not always possible to cure tuberculosis complications. In 2015, nearly half a million people worldwide became ill with tuberculosis, which do not operate many well-known medicines. And their number will only grow with the growth of bacterial resistance. With the prospect vaccination - one of the best ways to protect against severe cases.

Why then Mantoux test?

Mantoux test - a test that shows whether there is a causative agent of tuberculosis in the body, and if so, he sits quietly and consumes media.

The meaning of the sample to enter into the skin tuberculin (a mixture of substances from the bacteria) and see how the body will react to it. Depending on the size of papules (tubercles) at the injection site to draw conclusions about the danger.

Even severe reaction to the test is not a diagnosis, but a reason for further examination.

To obtain a diagnosis, you need to go through X-rays or computed tomography (the latter more accurately), tested for the identification of bacteria and so on.

This is the doctor's care.

What if found tuberculosis?

Treatment, of course, because tuberculosis for a long time not a sentence. read memo and be sure to tell us about the disease relatives. Because now you - the source of the disease, can infect other people. And it may well be that someone from your close circle have TB, but still people do not pay attention to the symptoms. The more friends and family will remember when the survey took place for the last time, the greater the chance that someone will find the disease in its early stages. And it is always better than to find it in advanced.