Tuberculosis, commonly called TB, was once a prominent contagious illness in the United States. The World Health Organization states that a majority of cases now occur in other countries, such as those in the South-East Asia Region. With proper treatment, TB is not usually a serious illness in individuals with a normal immune system.
Function
TB is caused by a bacteria that can spread through the air. The World Health Organization points out that only individuals who have the bacteria in their lungs can infect others. These individuals can spread the infection when coughing, sneezing, talking or spitting. The TB germs are then sent into the air for another person to inhale.
Considerations
TB bacteria, called bacilli, can remain dormant in the body for many years without causing any symptoms, called latent TB. Individuals with a weakened immune system have a greater chance of developing actual symptoms of illness, suggests the World Health Organization. Between five and 10 percent of individuals who have TB will fall ill or spread the infection to others. MayoClinic.com points out that individuals with HIV or AIDS present a greater risk of developing active TB due to the weakened immune system. Individuals with any other type of immune system inhibition also prove at a heightened risk. These individuals should receive immunization, especially if traveling to a country with higher rates of TB.
Symptoms
The term Active TB describes the illness when symptoms are actually present or an individual has become contagious. MayoClinic.com suggests an individual with active TB will have unexplained weight loss, fatigue, fever night sweats, chills and a loss of appetite. When the bacteria infects the lungs, more serious symptoms will occur including coughing that persists beyond three weeks, coughing up blood, pain in the chest, pain when breathing or pain when coughing.
Complications
TB can spread throughout the body, like any other bacteria, and cause infection and health problems. The lungs can become damaged when TB isn't identified and treated early in the infection, states MayoClinic.com. When TB spreads to the bones, the results can include severe pain from abscesses and joint destruction. Abscesses are essentially pockets of pus that develop anywhere in the tissues. Meningitis, or the swelling and inflammation of the meninges, can occur when TB infects the brain and central nervous system. The meninges are the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord. The most serious complication of TB is miliary TB, meaning the illness has spread throughout the entire body.
Treatment
Physicians treat TB with several antibiotics. MayoClinic.com points out that treating this type of bacterial infection takes longer than other bacterial infection treatment. Antibiotics are prescribed for six to nine months to completely rid the body of the infection. The length of the prescription has lead to the rise of antibiotic-resistant TB, meaning some antibiotics no longer prove effective in fighting certain strains of TB. In these situations, physicians may prescribe a different antibiotic proven effective in treating specific antibiotic-resistant TB strains.
When an individual has active TB, a series of four medications, isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide, will be given. After a few months one or two of these drugs may be stopped. Hospitalization for the first two weeks of treatment may be ordered by the overseeing medical care provider until the patient no longer proves contagious.
