Tuberculosis is a disease of infectious form and bacterial etiology. A disease can arise as a result of various factors: due to the high sensitivity of some people to infection, with insufficient immune protection, an improperly formulated diet, when basic hygiene rules are not followed, and living in poor social and living conditions. From this we can conclude that the main source of the disease is a poor quality of life, although the risk group for tuberculosis includes all segments of the population, regardless of their age and gender. You should decide what signs of tuberculosis in children and adults exist.
Why does a person get infected?
For a disease such as tuberculosis, a high rate of death is characteristic (up to 3 million people per year). The spread of the lesion is determined not only by social factors, but also by the long course of the disease in a latent form, when the symptoms do not make themselves felt.
It is this time that is considered the most effectiveto start treatment. To identify the presence of infection in the body, it is necessary to evaluate the reaction to the Mantoux test.
How does sickness develop?
The causative agent of tuberculosis is the bacterium Mycobacterium or Koch's bacilli. The described pathogen is highly resistant to external influences, is not afraid of high temperatures and remains viable at low temperatures for a long time.
Koch's wand cannot be classified as a highly contagious infectious agent, although the carrier of the infection with an open form of the disease spreads bacteria around him. The risk of infection after contact with a sick person is minimal. A person with TB usually does not require hospitalization and is not limited in movement and social activities.
If a family is constantly in contact with an infected person, then doctors advise paying special attention not only to the he alth of the patient, but also to compliance with hygiene standards. During this period of time, measures should be taken to strengthen the immune defense of all family members and regularly check the reaction of the microorganism to the Mantoux test in order to determine the beginning of the infection process at an early stage.
Main route of infection
The main route of infection is the entry of Koch's bacillus into the human respiratory system by airborne droplets. In rare cases, doctors diagnose household and transplental transmission of the disease. The infection enters the body through the respiratory tract, and then it is transferred to the bronchial mucosa, alveoli and spreads through the bloodstream to all organs and systems.human.
For the human body, such a pathogen is alien. If the immune system is in good condition, immediately after detecting a multiplying bacterium, the protective cells are activated and begin to fight the pathogen, preventing its further spread.
The disease can begin to develop in the following cases: if the immune system is suppressed and cannot normally defend itself, with an insufficient amount of antibodies produced and immunodeficiency, the presence of concomitant diseases, an unformed body defense due to age or social conditions, if contact with the source of the disease continues for a long period of time, and the infection remains open for a long time and does not receive the required treatment.
What promotes infection?
The main factors leading to a decrease in immune defense and contributing to the active progression of the disease upon contact with infection include:
- abuse of bad habits - smoking (weakens local immunity and leads to diseases of the bronchopulmonary system;
- use of any drugs;
- binge drinking;
- predisposition to diseases of the respiratory system due to the abnormal structure of the organ, frequent history of illness, the presence of an inflammatory process in the respiratory system;
- chronic diseases and foci of inflammation located in different tissues and organs;
- endocrine system damage, diabetes mellitus;
- malnutrition, lack of vitamins, beneficial trace elements and nutrientssubstances in food;
- neurotic disorders, prolonged depression, low stress resistance
- when carrying a child or breastfeeding;
- living in adverse social conditions.
Symptoms of disease
Signs of tuberculosis in the initial stage are not particularly serious. The onset of symptoms is usually slow. For a long time, the infection does not manifest itself, spreading through the defeat of a large part of the tissues of the lungs.
Doctors distinguish the primary stage of the development of the disease, at which the active process of the spread of pathogens begins, which does not lead to any clinical signs. After the primary stage, there is a latent or latent stage. Early signs of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults:
- deterioration of the general well-being of the patient;
- fatigue that only gets worse throughout the day, quick mood swings, extreme irritability;
- unreasonable weight loss;
- heavy night sweats.
Severe cough, high body temperature are not typical for the first stages of infection, such signs manifest themselves only at the stage of extensive damage to the respiratory organ. With an erased clinical picture of the disease, diagnostic measures should be carried out on the basis of tuberculin tests (Diaskin test, reaction to the Mantoux test) or through a blood test for PCR.
The second stage is latent (tuberculosis of the closed type). It does not release the pathogen into the environment andcondition of moderate reproduction and resistance of the body, it does not bring much harm to the body.
The latent form is considered dangerous because it can easily turn into an active disease, which is not only dangerous for people around, but can also adversely affect the patient's body.
The active stage of the disease passes into the secondary, and the bacteria begin to multiply en masse and actively spread to other parts of the body. Signs of pulmonary tuberculosis become extremely life-threatening and can even be fatal.
Active tuberculosis
Symptoms in the acute form of the lesion are as follows:
- prolonged wet cough with phlegm (lasting more than three weeks);
- blood in sputum;
- hyperthermia in subfebrile range;
- quick weight loss;
- severe fatigue, feeling unwell, sudden mood swings, weakness, aggressiveness, complete or partial lack of appetite, performance problems and other symptoms of intoxication of the body.
Signs of tuberculosis in adults and children: wet cough, which is characterized by an acute form of the course and manifests itself in the morning. Often at this stage of disease progression, smokers mistake a cough for "smoker's cough".
With further progression of the infection, other signs may be added to the clinical picture:
- dry cough, severebreath;
- pain in the shoulder, chest;
- hyperthermia in the fibral range (body temperature does not drop below 38-39 degrees Celsius);
- pain while coughing.
Signs of pulmonary tuberculosis are very similar to the symptoms of many other inflammatory diseases. The final diagnosis can only be made by the attending specialist after examinations.
Extrapulmonary lesions
Koch's wand can affect not only the tissues of the respiratory organ, but also multiply rapidly, provoke an inflammatory process in other organs. With this localization, doctors often determine a non-lung infection.
Non-specific form of tuberculosis of the internal organs is detected by excluding other diseases and pathological processes. The clinical picture will directly depend on the severity of the disease and the location of the focus of infection. Early signs of tuberculosis in adults and children:
- Inflammation spreads in the brain. The disease is characterized by an increase in body temperature, problems in the functioning of the nervous system, the state of sleep, severe irritability, overstrain, an increase in the neck and occipital muscles. Pain spreads in the back area when extending and bending the legs, tilting the head to the side. The infection spreads in stages. Preschool children, patients with diabetes and HIV infections are most susceptible to this condition.
- Tuberculosis of the digestive system. It is characterized by: a feeling of bloating, problems with the defecation process, pain in the intestines, symptoms of hemorrhagic bleeding (presence of blood in the feces, increased body temperature).
- Spread of tuberculosis in the bone and articular tissue, which is accompanied by severe pain in the affected areas, as well as limited mobility of the joints. Due to the strong similarity with other diseases of the musculoskeletal system, they are difficult to diagnose.
- Tuberculosis of the genitourinary system develops most often in the kidneys and pelvic organs. Symptoms include pain in the lower back, hyperthermia of the body, frequent, unproductive urge to urinate with pain, as well as blood in the urine.
- Tuberculosis of dermatological type. This condition is characterized by the spread of a rash that merges and forms nodules that are dense to the touch.
Doctors identify other symptoms of damage to other organs in the body. Bacteria, penetrating into the bloodstream, can actively spread throughout the body and affect almost any organ, system and tissue. The clinical symptoms of the disease in this case are difficult to identify, since they are very similar to inflammatory processes of a different etiology. The prognosis of treatment directly depends on the time of diagnosis, the location of the focus of infection, the stage of its development and the degree of damage to the organ.
Diagnostics
Diagnostic measures will be selected depending onanalysis results. First, an anamnesis and an analysis of complaints are collected from the patient, and then the history of the disease is studied.
To confirm or refute the diagnosis, you will need to conduct a set of studies:
- An analysis of the Mantoux reaction or the Pirquet test is a common examination that helps to identify the infectious process in the body. The laboratory assistant conducts cutaneous or intradermal application of tuberculin and assesses the level of immunity tension. The tuberculin test helps to identify probable contact with Koch's bacillus, but it is impossible to make a final diagnosis on the basis of this study alone. This method is often criticized by phthisiatricians and other doctors, as it may indicate contact with other types of microbacteria. Tuberculin diagnosis by means of a test may lead to an incorrect result after BCG vaccination. The Mantoux test is used before primary vaccination to predict an allergic reaction.
- Diaxin test is a complex skin test and is complemented by the Mantoux test. Due to its special specificity, it determines the reaction only to tuberculosis mycobacteria.
- Histological tissue analysis. The study is carried out by means of a biopsy and is prescribed only when the diagnosis cannot be made using the analysis of biological fluid.
With the help of fluorography and radiography, the presence of an inflammatory process in the tissues of the organs of the respiratory system is determined.
How is treatment carried out?
Prognosis for a favorable outcome in this condition is made taking into account the stage of development of the disease, the area of damage, the state of human he alth. Diagnostic measures at an early stage help to prescribe an effective treatment that contributes to the complete healing of the patient.
Treatment is distinguished by its duration, complexity and is based on the use of antibacterial drugs, anti-tuberculosis drugs, immunomodulators, immunostimulants, probiotics, and vitamin therapy. During treatment, it is important to exercise regularly and eat right.
Features of the treatment of the active stage of the disease
Treatment measures at the active stage of the development of the disease are carried out in the dispensary in order to minimize the infection of people around. The length of stay in a medical institution directly depends on the type and stage of development of the disease and can vary from 2 months to 2 years. It is forbidden to stop treatment on your own, as this can lead to a relapse or accelerated progression, the development of complications and even death.
To prevent infection, adults and children should lead a he althy lifestyle, follow the rules of hygiene and support the immune system in every possible way. For children, it is important to conduct ongoing tests and tests that will help identify the disease at the stage when the prognosis for treatment is most favorable. When the first signs of the disease appear, it is importantimmediately seek help from a doctor and undergo all the required examinations and tests.
