Tuberculosis Symptoms

About Tuberculosis Symptoms

Tuberculosis TB is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Approximately one quarter of the global population has latent TB infection LTBI, with approximately 10 million developing active TB disease annually and approximately 1.3 million deaths. TB primarily affects the lungs pulmonary TB in approximately 85 percent of cases but can affect any organ extrapulmonary TB: lymph nodes, bones Pott disease spine, meninges TB meningitis, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. Pulmonary TB symptoms develop gradually over weeks to months and include chronic cough lasting over 2 weeks, coughing up blood hemoptysis, chest pain, fever particularly in the afternoon or evening, night sweats drenching, unintentional weight loss, fatigue, and loss of appetite. The insidious onset helps distinguish TB from acute pneumonias. Diagnosis involves chest X-ray showing upper lobe infiltrates or cavities, sputum smear for acid fast bacteria AFB, and nucleic acid amplification test NAAT GeneXpert MTB RIF which also detects rifampin resistance. Treatment combines several antibiotics taken over months, classically rifampin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, under clinical supervision. Treatment support such as directly observed therapy improves adherence. Drug resistant TB MDR TB, XDR TB is treated with second line regimens, including newer shorter all oral regimens containing drugs such as bedaquiline and pretomanid. Treatment of latent TB with rifamycin or isoniazid based regimens reduces the risk of progression to active disease. The BCG vaccine provides variable protection against childhood TB meningitis and miliary TB.