How to distinguish a common cold from tuberculosis. Symptoms Treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis

Despite the development of treatment and diagnostic methods, in the 21st century tuberculosis remains one of the most common and dangerous diseases. According to statistics, it kills 3 million people per year. The insidiousness of the disease is manifested in the fact that from the moment of infection to the transition to acute form Months and sometimes years pass. To notice the problem in the early stages, you need to know the signs of tuberculosis in adults and listen to the signals that the body gives.

Causes of the disease

The cause of the disease is the entry into the human body of a pathogenic bacterium - Koch's bacillus. This microorganism can for a long time to live in human body without showing itself in any way. Its activation and reproduction begin when the immune system crashes.

Factors that provoke the development of the disease include the following:

• drug use;
• bad habits (smoking, alcoholism);
• metabolic disorders;
• unbalanced diet;
• constant stress;
• predisposition to respiratory diseases;
• unsatisfactory sanitary and hygienic living conditions.

The period when the Koch bacillus lives in the body, but does not manifest itself in any way, is called incubation. During this time, bacteria are constantly attacked by immune forces. If they cope with their tasks well, the microorganisms die and the person remains healthy.

If the immune system fails, then approximately three months after the bacteria enters the body incubation period ends. The first symptoms of the disease appear, which will be similar to the signs of a common ARVI.

As the disease progresses clinical picture becomes brighter. Shortness of breath appears with tuberculosis and other syndromes that make it possible to suspect something is wrong. Often it is cough and breathing problems, elements of blood among the sputum that frighten the patient and force him to go to the doctor for examination.

First signs

How does pulmonary tuberculosis manifest itself in the initial stages of development? At first, the infected person does not notice any changes in the body. Gradually, Koch bacilli begin to actively multiply in the tissues of the lungs, provoking an inflammatory process.

The first characteristic symptoms appear:

• weakness, lethargy, depression;
• weight loss;
• increased sweating at night;
• deterioration in the quality of night sleep;
• causeless dizziness;
• paleness of the skin, the appearance of a permanent blush on the cheeks;
• loss of appetite.

In the early stages constant temperature, coughing up blood, there are no other characteristic symptoms of the disease. These signs appear later when bacteria enter the blood.

As a rule, the first symptoms of the disease do not cause a person to worry or want to see a doctor. This wastes precious time during which the disease progresses. dangerous forms. As a rule, patients come for examination when additional, more “eloquent” signs appear.

How to detect tuberculosis at the initial stage? It is necessary to pay attention to such characteristic signs as periodic causeless increases in temperature, increased fatigue, and mood swings. If any of these factors bother you for three weeks or more, you need to visit a therapist. You should not explain the loss of strength by workload at work or failures on the personal front: this way you allow the illness to progress and develop into dangerous forms.

How to detect tuberculosis in late stages?

So how can you identify it? Tuberculosis symptoms become more pronounced when Koch bacilli have entered the blood and the disease has affected a significant part of the lungs. The further the disease progresses, the more clear signs she shows herself.

These include the following:

• persistent cough;
• shortness of breath, which gradually increases after infection with tuberculosis, occurs even with minor physical activities;

• wheezing, noted by the doctor when listening (dry or wet);
• hemoptysis due to tuberculosis;
• pain chest, manifested during deep breaths or at rest;
• elevated body temperature: up to 37 degrees or more;
• painful shine in the eyes, pallor, blush on the cheeks.

The temperature with tuberculosis usually rises at night. Fever occurs, the thermometer can show up to 38 degrees.

Symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults, which appeared in the early stages, persist. This is a decrease in appetite, sudden unmotivated weight loss (15 kg or more), weakness, increased fatigue, apathy. The patient notes increased irritability, his performance decreases.

What is a cough like with tuberculosis? There are three key characteristics:

• Dry cough, which bothers the patient mainly in the morning and at night.
• Expectoration of wet sputum.
• The cough does not go away for three weeks or more, despite the self-medication methods used.

A characteristic sign of tuberculosis infection is hemoptysis. It occurs when the disease affects the lungs and damages blood vessels. When the patient coughs, a small amount of fresh blood is released along with the sputum. If its amount per day exceeds 50 ml, pulmonary hemorrhage occurs.

Stages of disease development

Signs of pulmonary tuberculosis vary depending on the stage of development of the disease. Doctors distinguish four stages of its progression:

1. Primary lesion
   Koch's bacillus enters the human body for the first time. This stage is typical for newborns and people with weakened immune systems. There are no pronounced symptoms, but vague signs of intoxication appear. Body temperature long time stays at 37 degrees or more.
2. Latent tuberculosis
   The symptoms of the closed form of tuberculosis are mild, they are similar to the manifestations of ARVI or a cold. The patient's body actively fights the infection and suppresses it. A person is not contagious. During the period of development of closed tuberculosis, periodic slight increases in temperature, increased fatigue, and apathy are possible.
3. Active disease
   The open form of tuberculosis symptoms appear in full force: a person is worried about cough, hemoptysis that occurs when bleeding in the bronchi, fever, weakness, loss of appetite, etc. This stage is dangerous for others: the patient becomes a carrier of infection, he is able to infect other people.
4. Relapse of tuberculosis (secondary disease)
   Under unfavorable conditions, a previously cured disease is reborn. Bacteria “awaken” in old lesions or a new infection occurs. The disease occurs in an open form. There are signs of intoxication of the body and bronchopulmonary manifestations. Treatment of recurrent tuberculosis requires long-term and powerful exposure.

In order for the primary form of the disease to transform into an open one, the pathogen must human body more than two years. For its reproduction there must be provoking factors. If they are absent and the immune system works well, the Koch bacillus dies a few days or weeks after entering the respiratory system.

Video

Video - how to identify tuberculosis?

Symptoms of the extrapulmonary form of the disease

The disease can affect not only the lungs, so special attention should be paid to the signs of tuberculosis in the extrapulmonary form. Symptoms depend on the organ in which the pathogen has settled. The following options exist:

Brain damage

This form of the disease most often develops in childhood or in an adult with diabetes or HIV infection.

The main symptoms of the problem are:

• headaches localized in the frontal and occipital lobes;
• decreased performance;
• apathy;
• deterioration in sleep quality, frequent nightmares;
• decreased appetite.

Sweating in tuberculosis, which occurs at night, is another characteristic feature progression of the disease. As the disease progresses, dangerous symptoms– nausea and vomiting, tension in the neck muscles, specific body postures, distortion of facial expressions, squint, etc.

If the symptoms and treatment of the disease are determined in a timely manner, the prognosis for the patient is favorable. This is achieved thanks to new generation anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Gastrointestinal lesions

The patient feels pain in the digestive organs, loss of appetite, nausea, constant fatigue, lethargy, increased sweating at night. If the disease has affected the intestines, there is a false urge to defecate, stool disorders, and blood in the stool. If Koch's bacillus is localized in the stomach area, constant thirst, belching, a person suddenly loses weight. The temperature during tuberculosis in the gastrointestinal tract can rise to 40 degrees.

Damage to joints and bones

This is a rare form of the disease, the symptoms of which are similar to the manifestations of arthritis and arthrosis. The patient experiences pain when physical activity, the range of motion of the affected limbs is limited.

Skin lesions

This is an infectious process that affects the dermis, epidermis and fatty tissue.

Its characteristic manifestations include the following:

• the appearance of rashes;
• excessive dry skin;
• frequent manifestations of allergies;
• decreased immunity;
• fatigue, lethargy of the patient.

In the initial stages, it is possible to develop tuberculosis without fever, then it rises to 37-38 degrees.

Damage to the genitourinary organs

Koch's bacillus is localized in the kidneys or bladder. Patients feel constant fatigue, apathy, and complain of bad dream, loss of appetite. arise aching pain in the lumbar region, urination becomes difficult or, conversely, too frequent, accompanied by unpleasant sensations.

According to statistics, extrapulmonary forms of tuberculosis account for 10% of all cases of infection. However, their development has dangerous consequences, even death. Therefore, it is important to listen to what signals your body is giving and consult a doctor in time.

Methods for diagnosing tuberculosis

Get infected dangerous illness Any person can do it, regardless of age and social status. Recognizing latent tuberculosis, the pulmonary or extrapulmonary form of the disease, is not easy, because the symptoms are similar to those of other pathologies. Diagnosis requires special studies.

Initially, the patient comes to see the doctor and expresses complaints. Special attention deserves a cough due to pulmonary tuberculosis that does not go away for more than 3 weeks, weight loss, shortness of breath, decreased performance. The doctor finds out whether the person had the opportunity to become infected with tuberculosis from someone in his immediate environment, whether there is a relapse of tuberculosis or whether the infection occurred initially.

Based on the examination data, no conclusions can be drawn; one can only suspect the disease. For an intermediate examination for tuberculosis in adults, an x-ray is recommended, which will show whether there are foci of infection and how they are localized.

The Mantoux test is recommended for examining children.. This is an easy and safe method of exposure that does not lead to irradiation of the body. Tuberculin is injected into the child's forearm and the results are taken after three days. If the test gives a positive result, there are grounds for further diagnosis.

X-ray and Mantoux are not grounds for staging final diagnosis. More research is needed.

These include tests:

• sputum;
• blood;
• urine.

Having received the results of all examinations and comparing with them the characteristic symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis in women and men, the doctor makes an accurate diagnosis. Its task is to determine the resistance of the pathogen to certain medical drugs and prescribe effective therapeutic methods.

Open tuberculosis is a disease that is dangerous not only for the patient himself, but also for the people around him.

With absence proper treatment it can lead to fatal outcome. Modern methods of therapy make it possible to cope with a serious illness; the most important thing is to consult a doctor in time and follow all his recommendations and instructions.

Tuberculosis is a disease transmitted through the air, personal contact, and household objects (i.e., by airborne droplets). In each country, the situation with the incidence of Koch's bacillus is carefully monitored. According to experts, including the rather famous Dr. Komarovsky, this situation is far from rosy.

Therefore, it was important for human health and the preservation of his life to find ways to identify tuberculosis. For example, the Mantoux test, fluorography, or x-ray of the lungs, familiar to everyone since childhood. Methods for detecting tuberculosis do not end there: a new generation drug has been developed - Diaskintest.

Must be remembered : Early detection of tuberculosis can prevent its further development, which can be fatal.

Mantoux test

Mantoux is often called a graft, although in fact it is a test. The difference between these definitions is that vaccination provokes the emergence of antibodies that can resist pulmonary tuberculosis; in short, it is a vaccine, and with the help of a test you can only find out whether a person is sick or not.

The Mantoux test consists of tuberculin, an extract of tuberculosis bacteria that does not contain live/dead Koch bacilli. Hence, this product is completely safe for children.. Two units of tuberculin are taken for the sample.

Mantoux is mainly made for children. The age limit is sixteen years, sometimes up to eighteen years. To detect pulmonary tuberculosis in adults, fluorography is performed, a blood test is taken, and, if necessary, an x-ray or tomogram is taken. Based on the images obtained and the result of the analysis, it is determined whether the person has pulmonary tuberculosis.

Usually the procedure is done annually, and if the result is positive, it is repeated a few days after the first. How many times a year can a test be done? Their number cannot exceed three times. If such a need arises, the sick person is sent to phthisiology for diagnosis.

Peculiarities

As a rule, parents have many questions regarding how to behave before and after the test, what can be done and what cannot be done.

1. Diet. There is no need to follow any special diet, although you should still not try anything new before the test as it may cause an allergic reaction.
2. Sweet. Whether the child ate sweets or not will not affect the Mantoux result in any way. Of course, there is a possibility of itching due to a sharp jump in blood glucose levels, but for this you will need to eat a lot of sweets.
3. Runny nose. If the runny nose is caused by an infectious disease, the test should be done at another time. But it happens that the body only reacts to environment(With too dry/cold/humid air).
4. ORZ. There is no strictly established answer. Sometimes the procedure is canceled, sometimes the test is done at an elevated temperature. But to get a more accurate result, it would be best to reschedule it.
5. Vaccination schedule. The drug is administered according to the national vaccination calendar. Therefore, there should be no overlap when administering other vaccinations. If the test is nevertheless postponed, a break between vaccinations should be taken for several weeks.
6. Disease. After the child has recovered from any illness, it is necessary to wait about two weeks before the test.
7. The injection site should not be scratched.
8. It is not forbidden to walk; it is even better to increase the number of walks.
9. You can get Mantu wet, but you can’t rub it with anything. Then the redness and increase in the mark will not be surprising.

Reaction

• Negative. There is no red “button”; there is only a small red dot at the injection site. This indicates the absence of infection.
• Doubtful. It is difficult to determine whether a person is sick because the area of ​​redness is of ambiguous size and there is no “button”. Then a decision is made to repeat the procedure.
• Positive. The diameter of the papule is about fifteen millimeters. This means that the child had contact with an infected person, he is sent to doctors, after tuberculin diagnostics The test is done again within a year.
• Hyperergic. The size of the papule is more than fifteen millimeters - the child is definitely sick.

Diaskintest

How to identify tuberculosis differently? Not long ago, a new generation drug of synthetic origin called Diaskintest was invented. Some parents are asking the pressing question, what kind of vaccine is this? Just like Mantoux, the test is not an anti-tuberculosis vaccine. Using the drug, the patient is diagnosed for infection with Koch's bacillus. Diaskintest contains proteins that are present exclusively in mycobacteria.

Diaskintest for tuberculosis contains tuberculin allergens (antigens CFP10, ESAT6). Based on the body's reaction to the administered drug, it will be possible to judge the presence of the disease. Due to this composition of the drug, the safety of the person being tested is guaranteed: there is no way to get infected through this test, it only causes an allergic reaction.

It should be noted that such a test is much more accurate than Mantoux: the first has about ninety percent accuracy, the second has fifty to seventy percent accuracy.

Goals

1. Diagnosis of tuberculosis.
2. In the case of an active form of the disease, determining its degree.
3. Differential testing of the body with other diseases.
4. Determining what the body reacts to: BCG vaccination or on harmful Koch sticks.
5. Monitoring the effectiveness of disease treatment.

Video

Video - dangerous symptoms of tuberculosis

Passage Frequency

• Children are much more likely to get pulmonary tuberculosis, so they are diagnosed annually. If Manta is done twice a year, then Diaskin is done once (from 8 to 17 years old).
• Upon receipt negative result The test can be repeated only after two months.
• Having received any mandatory vaccine, the Diaskin test is allowed to be done only thirty days after it.
• Having recovered from a serious infectious disease, a test for tuberculosis is performed after thirty days.
• If the patient is registered at a tuberculosis dispensary, checks occur every three to six months.
• Having received positive reaction to test Mantoux, you can do Diaskintest from one year onwards.
• Diaskintest in adults is usually done only if the person is a member of an anti-tuberculosis dispensary or has had contact with a person suffering from tuberculosis.

Contraindications

• Acute respiratory viral infection, acute respiratory disease, sore throats, colds.
• Any disease in the acute stage.
• Allergy condition.
• Skin diseases with abscesses, rashes.
• After receiving the vaccine, a month must pass before the test.

Rules

• Do not scratch or rub the injection site.
• Do not apply anything to the injection site ( neither cosmetics nor medicines).
• Do not wrap the injection site with anything or put a bandage there.
• Try to keep water away from the injection site.

Evaluation of results

The results of this test can be obtained after seventy-two hours. It would be better for a doctor to evaluate them, since he has the necessary and sufficient knowledge.

After Diaskintest, the indications may be different:

• Negative reaction. Absolute absence of skin redness and papules.
• Doubtful. The injection site is red, but there is no papule.
• Positive. The appearance of papules of any diameter.
• Weakly expressed. There is a papule whose diameter does not exceed five millimeters.
• Moderately expressed. The diameter of the papule is five to nine millimeters.
• Expressed. The diameter of the papule is ten to fourteen millimeters.
• Hyperergic. The diameter of the papule is more than fifteen millimeters

A negative reaction occurs in people who do not have tuberculosis; who received the infection earlier, but now it is inactive; recovered from the disease.

Side effects

• Mild headache.
• Fever.
• General painful condition.
• Hematoma at the injection site.

In principle, there should be no negative consequences; drug intolerance is extremely rare, in which case it will be necessary to do a hemotest.

Additional Information

It is important to remember when buying Diaskintest, instructions for use are always included with the package. There is no need to worry about the manufacturer of the test, because there is only one Diaskintest manufacturer - Generium. The price of the drug is not the lowest - more than one and a half thousand rubles. And despite the fact that the test can be purchased at pharmacies, it is not recommended to do it yourself. It's best to leave this to the experts.

Content:

Pulmonary tuberculosis is a disease known to mankind for a long time. Over the years, only its name changed (previously tuberculosis was called consumption), but the essence of the disease remained the same. This is a serious illness from which no one is immune.

It is terrible not only for its consequences, but because it directly affects the social component of the life of any individual. And in general, pulmonary tuberculosis can safely be called a social disease. Why is this so? This and many other issues are worth understanding thoroughly, since this can affect everyone.

What is tuberculosis?

This infection, which is transmitted by airborne droplets.

This makes pulmonary tuberculosis very dangerous, since it has all the prerequisites to become an epidemic. However, this hardly threatens modern society. It’s worth saying “thank you” to vaccination. In the old days, pulmonary tuberculosis (consumption) could become (and often became) a real killer, responsible for a huge number of lives lost.

What causes this disease? The basis of tuberculosis is the so-called Mycobscterium tuberculosis, its other name is Koch's bacillus. This type of bacterium was discovered at the end of the 19th century by a scientist named Robert Koch. To date, Mycobscterium tuberculosis has been well studied. By the way, this microbe can cause tuberculosis not only in humans, but also in some animal species, which only aggravates the spread of the disease. As a rule, domesticated animal species are susceptible to pulmonary tuberculosis.

The lungs are not the only organ that can be targeted by tuberculosis. But it is pulmonary tuberculosis that is much more common, and its essence has been studied in most detail. The mortality rate from this disease is approximately 16-19%. As for the number of cases, at the moment in Russia tuberculosis in the lungs is detected in approximately 80 people out of 100,000. It is slightly more common in men than in women. But statistics say that in women this disease has a less active course.

How does infection occur and what is the further development of the disease?

As mentioned earlier, the bacterium Mycobscterium tuberculosis is transmitted by airborne droplets. This can happen when talking to a sick person, sneezing near them, coughing, or having any close contact with them. The most accurate statement would be that it is not so much the proximity of contact that is important, but rather the entry of Mycobscterium tuberculosis in the form of aerosol secretions.

After this, the stick gets onto the human mucous membranes, and then inside the body: into the lungs or into the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, primary tuberculosis infection occurs. In this case, it will be much better if the stick goes into the stomach. There it has a chance to dissolve under the influence of a harsh acid-base environment. If it gets into the lungs, the chance of contracting tuberculosis is much higher. The environment for the development of tuberculosis there is much more favorable.

In the first period after entering the human body, Mycobscterium tuberculosis does not manifest itself in any way. Moreover, even from the immune system it remains unnoticed. The incubation period can last indefinitely. The incubation period ends at the moment when the body can no longer resist infection. By the way, during the incubation period a person can infect others.

The bacterium takes advantage of this favorable period and multiplies as quickly as possible. The infection multiplies especially well in tissues where there is good blood and lymph circulation. For example, in the lungs, kidneys and lymph nodes.

After the bacteria multiply, a decisive moment comes. During this period, a lot is decided. If the body and its immunity are strong enough, then Mycobscterium tuberculosis is perfectly eradicated from the human body, which prevents the development of the disease itself. In this case, we can say with almost complete certainty that the treatment will help. But if the body is weakened, it contains factors that weaken it (chronic vitamin deficiency, diabetes, HIV, hepatitis and other ailments, then there is a high probability that pulmonary tuberculosis will soon enter its active stage, having the ability to develop quickly.

At this point, another question is being decided: will a person with Mycobscterium tuberculosis be contagious? So, if the bacterium comes out of the so-called granuloma, then the disease has entered an open form, which means that the patient is actively releasing the infection into the environment. If the granuloma containing the bacteria has retained its integrity, then it is almost impossible to become infected from such a person.

But it’s time to figure out what the first signs of tuberculosis are. How does it manifest itself in the early and subsequent stages? And how to independently determine the symptoms of this terrible disease? Every person should have this knowledge, because it can help prevent or stop the disease in time.

Symptoms of the disease that you can identify yourself

Of course, the most accurate way to detect tuberculosis is through laboratory tests, as well as through a full examination by a doctor and his professional consultation. But there are a number of symptoms that should be a “wake-up call” for a person. The signs of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults and children are almost the same.

In general, we can say that absolutely not characteristic symptoms, which are characteristic exclusively of tuberculosis.

But, for example, you should be concerned if there is a persistent cough for a long time, which is accompanied by active production of sputum, and in some cases, blood. Shortness of breath appears, and sometimes it becomes difficult for a person to breathe.

Along with this, a dry cough is often encountered, so the production of sputum or blood is not a defining sign. And hemoptysis itself occurs in the last stages of pulmonary tuberculosis. This is due to the occurrence of bleeding in the lungs, which results in such an unpleasant and very alarming symptom. What other signs of tuberculosis could there be?

Shortness of breath is also a symptom that occurs when neglected stage pulmonary tuberculosis. At this point, most of this organ is already affected, which makes breathing much more difficult for the sick person. As a result, shortness of breath occurs. The lack of oxygen is very difficult to compensate for with anything, but even if it is possible (with oxygen masks and other devices), this significantly limits the patient’s vital activity and mobility.

But there is still one clear sign of pulmonary tuberculosis. And it's called tuberculosis intoxication. How to recognize it? Tuberculosis intoxication negatively affects the body. It manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• sudden and unmotivated weight loss;
• an unusual and previously unobserved blush on the cheeks of a reddish tint;
• at the same time there is an unhealthy pallor of the skin throughout the body;
• persistent drowsiness that persists even after long sleep(this is due to brain intoxication);
• constant increase in body temperature in the range from 37.2 to 38.3 ° C (low-grade fever);
• changes in appetite (from its complete absence to a significant increase bordering on overeating);
• night sweats of the body, due to which a person often wakes up in the so-called cold sweat.

However, often in the first stages, pulmonary tuberculosis is completely asymptomatic and unnoticed by its owner. In this case, only timely clinical studies can help, some of which are familiar to everyone. What methods exactly are we talking about?

Diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

All of the above symptoms and signs of the disease can be called primary. They can be noticeable to the person himself. But medicine is not limited to this. To make an accurate diagnosis, a number of already established studies are used that will accurately determine the presence of the disease, its stage and development.

The most common type of examination, which is familiar to absolutely everyone, is fluorography. Currently, billions of people do it every year. Such manipulation reveals any changes in the lungs and intrathoracic lymph nodes. This method is instrumental. The same group includes chest x-rays, CT scan, bronchoscopy and some others.

Concerning laboratory methods detection of pulmonary tuberculosis, now bacterioscopy of sputum and bronchial washings is most often used. The resulting material is subjected to a test, during which the bacteria Mycobscterium tuberculosis are painted in a characteristic color. At the same time, laboratory studies can be carried out pleural fluid, biopsy of the lung, pleura and lymph nodes.

And finally, immunological methods for detecting the disease. These include the well-known Mantoux test. 2 tuberculated units are injected under the skin of a person, which helps to see the body’s reaction to them. But today we can state the fact that the Mantoux test is an outdated method. Quite often he gives false positive results, which makes both the patient and the doctor worry.

A much more advanced and modern immunological test can be called Diaskintest. This is a rapid test to detect pulmonary tuberculosis. It is based on the same subcutaneous injection with specific tuberculosis proteins. The chance of error is minimal, and therefore experts around the world prefer to use Diaxintest rather than the Mantoux test.

In extremely complex and difficult to diagnose cases, the polymerase chain reaction can be used, which also belongs to the group of immunological methods for detecting pulmonary tuberculosis.

Treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis

Treatment of this disease consists of several components. Of course, everything depends on its manifestation and form.

The most important condition for treatment is that it must be carried out in specialized clinics, otherwise called tuberculosis dispensaries. Such measures are associated with the desire to limit the patient’s contact with society in order to prevent further spread of the infection.

Treatment is based on special anti-tuberculosis antimicrobial drugs that suppress the activity of the bacterium Mycobscterium tuberculosis. Treatment with such drugs is quite effective, especially in the early stages. But they also have their tangible disadvantages. Thus, over time, the number of strains that are insensitive to the effects of the drug increases.

Can be used in the treatment of tuberculosis surgical method. It is used for advanced forms of the disease, in the presence of complications. As for the latter, these may include various bleedings, pneumothorax, empyema and some others.

The next stage of treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis is aimed at eliminating the inevitably occurring tuberculosis intoxication. Intoxication also occurs from taking antimicrobials. To reduce intoxication of the body, various vitamins, sorbents, hepatoprotectors, infusion therapy and other elements are used.

During treatment, you will also have to deal with oxygen deficiency, which, as already mentioned, is caused by damage to the lung tissue. Elimination of hypoxia significantly facilitates the course of the disease and the treatment itself. For this purpose, some devices can be used to normalize breathing. Among them are oxygen masks, indoor oxygen concentrators and some others.

In general, treatment must be carried out in a timely manner, it must have a clearly thought-out program, there must be systematicity and consistency. At all times throughout the treatment, the patient must be under close supervision of a specialist. By the way, this is done by doctors such as a pulmonologist and a phthisiatrician.

But where the best remedy than any, even the most effective treatment– this is prevention. Treatment for tuberculosis can last for years, and sometimes even throughout life. And prevention will take much less time and effort.

Tuberculosis: prevention

Vaccination is the basis for prevention of this disease. As already stated, this is a social disease. This important factor. Equally important is that it can be transmitted from person to person through the air. Therefore, a person who does not lead an antisocial lifestyle, but, for example, is constantly in contact with a large number of people at work, can become infected. In this and other cases, vaccination will help avoid infection.

At the moment there are no more effective method for prevention than vaccination. Additionally, it is necessary to limit all contacts with persons who are potential carriers of tuberculosis. Those at risk include people without a fixed place of residence, HIV-infected people and those serving sentences in prison, and some other categories of people leading an antisocial and deviant lifestyle. It is these people who most often suffer from pulmonary tuberculosis.

For preventive purposes, it is worthwhile to undergo lung fluorography annually in adults and children. It is included in the list of mandatory medical measures that every person must undergo periodically. This applies to both adults and children. In addition, there is no distinction in terms of vaccination. Both adults and children need to be vaccinated.

Thus, today's knowledge will help strengthen your knowledge on the issue of a disease such as pulmonary tuberculosis. This will help not to become infected or to recognize the disease in time, based on the symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis, to stop the disease, to treat effective treatment. And let health not let anyone down! The life of every person can and should be fulfilling. And physical condition plays a primary role in this.

Discussion 1

Similar materials

How to identify tuberculosis different stages illness? Not only the prognosis for recovery, but also the life of the patient depends on a timely visit to a doctor when the first disturbing signs appear. Many people can feel signs of trouble in the very early stages of the disease, and attentive parents immediately notice changes in the health of their children. There are a number of symptoms that directly or indirectly indicate pulmonary tuberculosis, as well as its other forms.

Causes of the disease

The causative agent of tuberculosis is Koch's bacillus, named after the German microbiologist R. Koch. Mycobacteria are characterized by high survivability, resistance to aggressive factors, some disinfectants and drugs.

The main localization of pathogenic activity of bacteria is the lungs, but there are other sites of occurrence: eyes, bone tissue, skin, genitourinary system, central nervous system, digestive tract. Pulmonary tuberculosis also determines the risk group: children early age, elderly people, people who ignore vaccinations, and those in prison.

Mechanisms of infection

A carrier of infection is any infected person. Penetration into a healthy body is possible through inhalation of contaminated air, therefore the main route of transmission of infection is airborne droplets.

There are other mechanisms of infection:

• contact-household, when Koch's wand penetrates inside through the bed, textiles and common objects;
• nutritional or food - entry of pathogenic mycobacteria through food (usually eating meat from infected livestock);
• intrauterine or vertical, when the child is infected while still in the mother’s womb or at the time of delivery.

In addition, infection is possible through prolonged contact with a carrier, for example, working in the same office, being in prison, or living in a dormitory. The risk of the disease increases when living together with a carrier of the infection.

It is possible to become infected from a sick person only if there is active pathological process. In remission with adequate therapy, the person hardly poses a danger to society.

How to identify tuberculosis and prevent the development of serious complications?

General symptoms of tuberculosis

How to identify tuberculosis at home? It is possible to independently determine the symptoms of open and closed tuberculosis if you pay close attention to your own health.

General symptoms of tuberculosis are expressed in the following manifestations:

• change in somatic status (deterioration of health without visible reasons, decreased performance, weakness, frequent desire to sleep even after good rest);
• the appearance of shortness of breath (with tuberculosis, shortness of breath occurs due to a decrease in the respiratory surface of the organ);
• cough (dry alternates with wet, episodes are not related to time, lifestyle, occur at any time);
• change in sputum (addition of pus, curdled consistency, dark shade);
• weight loss with preserved appetite, sharpening of facial features, pallor skin;
• increased sweating;
• chills like a cold, but there are no signs of acute respiratory viral infections or acute respiratory infections;
• persistent increase in temperature, especially in the evening (up to 37.5-38 degrees, especially in the evening).

Chest pain and hemoptysis are late signs of an open form of infection, the appearance of which requires immediate hospitalization and isolation of the patient. With the closed form, the patient rarely feels unwell, which is due to the lack of pathogenic activity of the Koch bacillus.

Signs of extrapulmonary tuberculosis

How to detect tuberculosis? Considering the likelihood of infectious foci occurring outside the patient’s pulmonary structures, symptoms indicate damage to the anatomical zone in which the pathological focus is localized. So, Koch's sticks affect:

• digestive organs (symptoms resemble persistent indigestion with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, pain in the epigastric region);
• membranes of the brain (nausea, dizziness, occasional vomiting, symptoms of tuberculous meningitis);
• bone tissue (mainly a secondary process, a consequence of advanced pulmonary tuberculosis with the following symptoms: swelling, body aches, deformation bone tissue, violation of joint functions);
• skin (ulcerative skin lesions, acne, changes in the shade of the epidermis);
• genitourinary system (urogenital tuberculosis is accompanied by symptoms characteristic of cystitis, urethritis);
• base of the lungs (as a result of the lesion, tuberculous bronchoadenitis develops with cough, malaise, and fever).

Important! Extrapulmonary infection with Koch's bacillus is a form of the disease that entails damage to new tissues and structures of the body as the pathogenic activity of mycobacteria develops. Treatment is always complex and requires mandatory consultation with specialized specialists.

Symptoms of the miliary form of the disease

Miliary tuberculosis is a generalized form of tissue damage to internal organs, accompanied by the formation of multiple small tubercles. With a progressive course, the organ may resemble a grapevine in structure. The miliary form of the disease is the most severe form of the disease with its own classification according to the symptomatic complex:

1. Meningeal manifestations. Clinical manifestations are associated with brain damage and resemble the course of meningitis: photophobia, apathy, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, severe headaches, heart rhythm disturbances.
2. Typhoid symptoms. This form is characterized by a general infectious lesion of the body, which is why it is so important to differential diagnosis With typhoid fever. According to the ultrasound results, an increase in the volume of the liver, spleen, and sometimes kidneys is noted. A rash appears on the surface of the skin. The typhoid form differs from typhus in the cyanosis of the skin and severe shortness of breath.
3. Pulmonary manifestations. Miliary pulmonary tuberculosis is characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission, an increase in the volume of the spleen, and a prolonged dry cough, often ending in vomiting. During auscultation of the chest, wet or dry wheezing and shortness of breath are noted. Rashes on the surface of the lungs may appear only 2-3 weeks after the body is damaged by mycobacteria. The pulmonary form is differentiated from myocarditis, pulmonary emphysema, and bronchitis. On early stage detection is possible only by chance or upon request from patients.
4. Tuberculous sepsis. The most severe form with a poor prognosis. The symptoms of tuberculosis with sepsis do not differ from the course of other types of generalized sepsis, so there are some difficulties with timely identification of the cause of blood poisoning. Death of patients usually occurs 1-2 weeks after the development of sepsis.

Important! Any form of miliary tuberculosis has general symptoms: preservation high temperature body, malaise, marked loss of body weight, severe dry cough, shortness of breath. If such signs appear, it is important to seek help from a therapist and undergo the necessary examinations.

Signs of drug-resistant tuberculosis

Drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (in the abbreviation DUT) has the same mechanisms of occurrence as its classical forms, but it is distinguished by some features:

• severe resistant form of the disease;
• long-term therapy;
• regular relapses.

The form is characterized by resistance of the disease to drug therapy. Predisposing factors are chronic diseases organs and systems, autoimmune pathologies. Symptoms of tuberculosis are expressed over a long period of time. At an early stage the following are noted:

• cough ending in vomiting;
• malaise;
• regular pain in the chest, aggravated by breathing, coughing, laughing.

Today LUT is classified as frequent forms tuberculosis disease, which ideally interacts with infectious pathologies of any origin.

Features of symptoms in children

In the first months of life in children, the body only begins to produce antibodies to pathogenic environments. With the pathogenic activity of Koch's bacillus, signs of acute respiratory infections are observed, initial stage ARVI.

Symptoms of tuberculosis in children at an early stage:

• fever or persistent low-grade fever;
• cough;
• anxiety;
• malaise, drowsiness.

The child remains active for periods; it is impossible to determine the disease externally. The Mantoux test or Diaskintest give a positive reaction. The more pathogenic microorganisms in the body, the more intense the symptomatic complex. Symptoms of tuberculosis in the active phase of the disease in children:

• swollen lymph nodes;
• the appearance of atypical impurities in sputum;
• signs of intoxication (nausea, excessive regurgitation or vomiting);
• sweating;
• weight loss;
• lack of appetite.

Important! Early prevention penetration of Koch bacilli into the body is a high-quality vaccination. Additional measures include creating a favorable environment for the child to live, adequate nutrition, decent standard of living.

Professional diagnostics

When visiting a doctor, they study your life and general clinical history, find out any complaints, and assess the condition of the skin. Tuberculosis of the lungs and other organs is detected using diagnostic methods:

• fluorography;
• chest x-ray;
• Mantoux test;
• laboratory test sputum;
• inoculation of lavage waters of the stomach cavity, bronchi;
• polymerase chain reaction for the determination of mycobacterial DNA.

Today, diagnosing tuberculosis is not particularly difficult, but the insidiousness of the disease lies in the absence of any obvious symptoms at the early stage of the disease. Manifestation of tuberculosis requires mandatory hospitalization in specialized departments and the prescription of antibiotics from the group of anti-tuberculosis drugs: Cycloserine, Rifampicin, Streptomycin, Amikacin. The treatment is long-term, aimed at rehabilitating the entire body and achieving stable remission.

The prognosis for infection with Koch's bacillus is always serious, especially with late detection or inadequate treatment. Special meaning in the treatment of the disease is given early diagnosis to reduce irreversible complications on internal organs and systems.

Tuberculosis is considered one of the most ancient diseases. In those days when medicine was just beginning to develop, this disease took thousands human lives. Today, tuberculosis ranks 22nd in the world in terms of morbidity and mortality. Doctors believe that these rates continue to rise mainly due to insufficient knowledge about the symptoms and causes of the disease. In this article we tried to collect basic information about this disease.

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a serious infectious disease. The main reason for the development is Koch's bacillus, which enters the human body. This disease mainly attacks Airways, in particular, the bronchi and lungs. Due to the development of a more severe form, complications may occur in the lymphatic, nervous and urinary systems. Also, doctors often diagnose disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the body as a whole.

How is it transmitted?

In fact, contracting tuberculosis is easier than we might imagine. This is a disease that spreads very quickly. Human immunity is a strong and almost insurmountable barrier to Koch's bacillus, so its presence may not develop into a disease. But if the immune system is weakened, which is especially important in the cold season, infection has every chance. How is tuberculosis transmitted?

• By airborne droplets. This is the most common method of infection. It is known that when coughing, bacteria can spread 1.5 meters. Doctors recommend avoiding any contact with infected people.
• By contact. This method of infection involves the infection entering the body through personal belongings (clothing, dishes, towels, etc.)
• By food. This is typical for rural areas, where people do not send food products of animal origin for the necessary examinations, as a result of which the infection can enter a healthy body through contaminated products.
• Intrauterine. Infection occurs if the mother suffers from tuberculosis.

Symptoms

The first signs of the disease include:

• feeling of weakness, general malaise, chronic fatigue;
• lack of appetite, increased irritability;
• insomnia, frequent nightmares;
• increased sweating;
• elevated body temperature, which persists regularly and is accompanied by chills;
• dry paroxysmal cough.

When the disease progresses to severe form, an infected person experiences more severe symptoms, which arise depending on the location of the disease.

Pulmonary tuberculosis: chest pain that gets worse with deep breathing, wheezing in the lungs, runny nose, rapid weight loss, increased size of lymph nodes. The cough in this form becomes more severe with the production of sputum.

Tuberculosis genitourinary system: This type is characterized by cloudy urine, sometimes with blood, aching pain in the lower abdomen, and spotting.

Tuberculosis digestive tract: severe bloating, aching pain in this area, the presence of blood in the stool.

Bone tuberculosis: disorders in cartilage tissue, severe pain in the musculoskeletal system, problems with motor function, and sometimes complete immobility.

Lupus: the appearance of dense nodules under the skin that cause severe pain When touched or scratched, white liquid is released from such wounds.

Diagnostics

It is possible to diagnose tuberculosis with a full inpatient examination, which includes:

• tuberculin diagnostics;
• radiography;
• fluorography;
• blood test (bacteriological, enzyme immunoassay).

Treatment

At mild form tuberculosis is usually prescribed drug treatment. The patient must be under the supervision of doctors in an isolated ward of the infectious diseases department or tuberculosis dispensary. For more serious forms, surgery and chemotherapy are used.

Prevention:

• vaccination;
• reaction to mantu;
• fluorographic examination according to the schedule;
• rules of personal hygiene;
• maintaining immunity, especially in the cold season;
• regular examinations.

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