How to find out if you have tuberculosis. How to recognize tuberculosis: causes, symptoms, treatment

Tuberculosis is an important medical and social problem of our time. According to medical indicators, 3 million people die from this disease every year, and the incidence rate among the population is 8 million patients per year. The insidiousness of this disease lies in the fact that from the moment of infection by the causative agent of the disease to the acute period of its development, a lot of time can pass, up to several years.

The reason for the increased incidence of tuberculosis among the population is considered to be a decrease in the body’s immune forces, poor quality and unbalanced nutrition, poor social and living conditions, difficult conditions labor and other factors that significantly worsen a person’s quality of life. People of all ages are at risk for development, from infants and children to adults and the elderly. Despite the high mortality rate from this disease, it is still treatable, especially in the initial stages of its development. Therefore, it is very important to identify tuberculosis - symptoms and first signs. Only then will there be a chance for successful recovery and prevention of development chronic form and complications that can be life-threatening.

Tuberculosis - what kind of disease?

This infectious disease, caused by bacteria that can infect both the respiratory system and other internal organs and systems of a person. The causative agent of tuberculosis is the bacterium Mycobacterium (Koch bacillus), which is most often transmitted by airborne droplets, less often by contact with an infected person or by the transplacental route.

Koch bacterium is resistant to external environment, as well as to high temperatures. For example, in water this microorganism can maintain its vital activity for 60 days, and on the surface household items about four weeks. In a cold environment or in a frozen state, the stick can live for decades. The entrance gates for pathogen penetration are respiratory tract. After initial penetration into the mucous membranes of the bronchi, the microorganism enters the alveoli, then penetrates the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body. If a person has had close contact with someone who has tuberculosis, this does not mean that he will definitely become infected with it.

Entering the human body, the tuberculosis bacillus encounters multiple barriers immune system, which can protect us from the effects of a foreign organism. In cases where a person’s immunity is weakened, there is a risk of getting sick or becoming a carrier of Koch bacilli. After microorganisms enter the human body, they long time may be in an inactive form. In addition, it is not so easy to suspect the signs, because this disease is one of those that often resembles completely different diseases. According to medical indicators, a third of tuberculosis patients are early stages do not experience any symptoms, which in turn complicates the course and treatment of the disease. Therefore, it is very important to recognize the first sign; this will significantly increase the chance of curing a person and preventing transition to a more serious condition. severe stages which often lead to death.

Tuberculosis: causes

The main cause of the development of the disease is considered to be the Koch microbacterium, which, after entering the human body, may not manifest itself for a long time. Activation of bacteria occurs when the human immune system does not have enough resources to destroy pathogen. It is not a highly contagious disease, but as shown modern research, 1 bacilli shedding agent can infect about 15 people. It is important to note that becoming infected does not mean getting sick. It all depends on the state of the person’s immune system, concomitant diseases, as well as lifestyle. There are several predisposing factors to development:

• drug use;
• smoking;
• alcohol abuse;
• predisposition to disease respiratory system;
• diabetes mellitus;
• poor nutrition;
• frequent depression and stress;
• internal chronic diseases;
• unfavorable living conditions.

Based on the above factors, we can conclude that all of them are in one way or another associated with impaired and decreased immunity.

Signs of tuberculosis

After the rod penetrates the body, it penetrates into the lung tissue, where it begins to actively multiply, causing an inflammatory process. At the beginning of the disease, an infected person does not experience significant symptoms.

In the first stages of development, a person may experience a loss of strength, sudden weight loss, and night sweats. Temperature rise in initial stages not noted, there is also no cough. Cough and fever are observed only when the pathogen has entered the bloodstream and extensively affected the lung tissue. The erased picture of tuberculosis at the beginning of its development, as a rule, does not cause suspicion in a person, and the disease, in turn, progresses, acquiring new stages of development, which force them to consult a doctor.

Stages of tuberculosis

This disease, like any other, has its own stages of development:

• The primary form is the period of development when the pathogen is in the lungs;
• Latent infection is a hidden period that does not allow infected person infect other people;
• Active disease or open form is contagious to others;
• The secondary stage of the disease - the microorganism is aggressive and spreads throughout the body.

Based on the practice of phthisiatricians, most people have a latent form of tuberculosis, when the Koch bacillus is in the body, but does not cause any discomfort to the person. Quite a portion of the primary type passes into the open form. For this, the bacteria will need up to 2 years of residence in the human body. In addition, in order for the wand to actively multiply and go through new stages, there must be provoking factors. At strong immunity And healthy body, the tuberculosis bacillus is unable to multiply and dies a few days or weeks after settling in the respiratory system.

Symptoms of tuberculosis

Clinical signs do not appear immediately, but only when the causative agent of the disease has penetrated the bloodstream or affected most of the lungs. At first, the symptoms of tuberculosis are mild, but as the disease progresses, they become more pronounced. The main signs in the acute period are the following symptoms:

• cough with sputum production that lasts more than 3 weeks;
• admixture in blood in sputum;
• temperature rise to subfebrile;
• weight loss;
• increased fatigue;
• lack of appetite;
• sudden mood changes;
• increased irritability;
• decreased performance.

The cough with tuberculosis is usually wet and frequent, especially in the morning. People who smoke perceive this cough as a “smoker's cough,” but they should not take it for granted. If at least 1-2 symptoms appear, it is better to consult a doctor and make sure that you do not have this disease.

In cases where the disease develops more aggressively, the following symptoms may be present:

• increase in body temperature to 38-39°C;
• pain under the sternum;
• shoulder pain;
• painful, dry and hard cough;
• sweating during sleep.

The above symptoms may also be present in other diseases, so there is no need to worry prematurely; it is better to seek help from a doctor who, after examining the patient and collecting anamnesis, will be able to make a diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Symptoms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis

The pathogen can affect not only the lungs, but also other internal organs of a person. In such cases, we will talk about the extrapulmonary type. Defeat anyone internal organ or Koch's wand systems are difficult to recognize, so the diagnosis of internal organs is most often made after excluding other pathologies. Symptoms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis depend on the location of the disease and the organ affected.

• Tuberculosis of the brain - develops slowly, more often in children or sick people diabetes mellitus or HIV infection. This form of the disease is characterized by increased body temperature, sleep disturbance, nervousness, enlarged neck muscles, back pain when stretching the legs or tilting the head forward. This form can manifest itself in all sorts of disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system.
• Tuberculosis of the digestive organs - characterized by periodic stool disturbances, bloating, pain in the intestinal area, blood in the stool, high temperature body up to 40 degrees.
• Tuberculosis of bones and joints is rare and is manifested by pain in the affected areas of the body and limited joint mobility. This form difficult to distinguish from other diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
• Organ tuberculosis genitourinary system– affects the kidneys and pelvic organs. It is characterized by back pain, increased body temperature, frequent and painful urination, and the presence of blood in the urine.
• Skin tuberculosis - manifests itself in the form of skin rashes that quickly spread throughout the body, forming dense nodules that burst over time.

The microorganism can infect other organs and systems, but it can be identified by clinical signs difficult and almost impossible. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis develops when the pathogen enters the bloodstream and spreads throughout the whole body through the bloodstream, infiltrating one of the internal organs or systems. human body. The prognosis after treatment of extrapulmonary tuberculosis depends on many factors: the localization of the pathogen, the degree and stage of the affected organ, as well as general condition health and other factors. Therefore, it is difficult to answer the question of what the prognosis is after treatment.

How to recognize tuberculosis

It is impossible to determine the pathogen without examination results, therefore, if this disease is suspected, the doctor prescribes a series of tests that will help identify the pathogen and determine the stage of the disease. Diagnosis consists of a collected patient’s medical history, a study of the medical history, as well as the results of examinations such as:

1. The Mantoux test is a simple way to identify the tuberculosis bacillus. If a person is sick, then the test reaction will appear within 72 hours. The mantoux test will show whether an infection is present in the human body, but many specialists in the field of phthisiology consider this research method to be very inaccurate.
2. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) – informative method diagnostics, which allows 98% to identify the tuberculosis bacillus. In this case, the patient's sputum is examined.
3. Chest X-ray - allows you to identify the source of inflammation of the infection in the lungs.

The results of the examination allow the doctor to create a complete picture of the disease, identify the pathogen, determine the extent and stage of the disease, and prescribe treatment. It is important to note that in the initial stages of development it responds well to treatment, which cannot be said about chronic forms.

How to treat tuberculosis?

As practice shows, it is possible to be cured, but the most important thing is to detect it in a timely manner and strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations, take the medications prescribed by him throughout the entire course of treatment. Treatment of tuberculosis should be complex and long-term, from several months to several years. It is considered important to take antibacterial drugs, the action of which is aimed at destroying the pathogenic pathogen. Usually the doctor prescribes several antibiotics that need to be taken for several months, as well as anti-tuberculosis drugs, probiotics, vitamin therapy and immunostimulants. In addition to taking medications, patients need a special diet and physical therapy.

Drug treatment lasts up to 6 months or more. During this period, the sick person is in tuberculosis dispensary. This isolation of the patient avoids infecting other people. After treatment, a person periodically visits a doctor, takes necessary tests and does examinations, and is also registered at the dispensary. If the doctor has prescribed a course of treatment for 6 months, then it is necessary to complete it in its entirety, otherwise stop therapeutic therapy may lead to relapse of the disease and its progression.

It's important to note that incorrect treatment, as well as an incomplete course of medical therapy, lead to transformation of the disease, which in turn leads to a relapse of the disease and its transition to severe and incurable forms, ending in death.

A person can be a carrier of the tuberculosis pathogen for years and not suspect the presence of infection. In some cases, the symptoms of the disease appear similar to a common cold. Therefore on early stages It is quite difficult to identify the presence of the disease. In this material we will try to find out how tuberculosis is defined and what treatment methods should be used to eliminate the problem.

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is an acute infectious disease caused by microscopic bacteria known as Koch bacilli. The disease develops when immunity decreases as a result of damage

Tuberculosis bacteria are most often transmitted from a carrier of the disease to a healthy person by airborne droplets, which leads to the sedimentation of the tuberculosis pathogen in the lungs. Infection can also occur through household contact with bacteria, when the latter enters directly into the digestive tract.

The probability of infection is for healthy person With good immunity only 5%. People with weakened bodies are much more likely to become infected.

Children are at risk younger age and teenagers. Women under 35 years of age are much more likely to become infected with the tuberculosis pathogen compared to young men.

Factors that contribute to the development of the disease

Among the risk factors it is worth noting:

1. Prolonged contact with objects on which the causative agent of the disease is located.
2. Frequent contact with a carrier of the disease.
3. Regularly being in a dirty, unventilated, closed area.
4. Decline protective functions the body as a result of poor nutrition, constant stress, alcohol abuse and smoking, and excessive physical activity.

Signs of the development of the disease in the early stages

How to identify tuberculosis at home? If the disease occurs in hidden form, identifying it in advance is extremely difficult, since the course of the disease occurs without obvious signs. If you feel that something is wrong in the body, you should pay attention to the presence of the following symptoms:

• a strong feeling of fatigue without objective reasons;
• feeling of general physical or mental malaise;
• having a weak appetite;
• sharp weight loss with a rich, healthy diet;
• slight increase in body temperature.

Microscopic diagnostics

How to detect tuberculosis at an early stage? If the above symptoms are detected, you should go to the hospital for a sputum smear. The composition of the resulting sample is examined under a microscope in the laboratory.

It is worth noting that negative results tests do not always indicate the absence of a disease. Quite often, the development of the disease at an early stage does not allow the detection of microscopic bacteria in a smear of sputum from the lungs. It is for this reason that if there are obvious ones, it is important to repeat the studies after some time.

Fluorography

How is tuberculosis defined? In the initial phase, a chest x-ray helps identify the disease. In terms of prevention, experts recommend resorting to the procedure once a year. The resulting image allows you to see foci of inflammation and notice the first signs of bacterial damage to the lung tissue.

Sputum culture

The diagnostic method involves collecting a sputum sample and then growing a bacterial culture in the laboratory. How is tuberculosis determined using this method? Such an analysis may take several months, since during tests specialists check the sensitivity of microorganisms in culture to the effects of various antibiotics. However, the study makes it possible to identify the causative agent of the disease with high accuracy.

Sputum culture also suggests in a good way to determine the resistance of a certain type of Koch bacillus to the effects of certain medications. Does not currently exist alternative methods research that would provide this information.

Extrapulmonary form of tuberculosis

If the body is infected with the causative agent of the disease not through airborne transmission of infection, the development of an extrapulmonary form of tuberculosis is likely. In this case, infection may occur in the mucous membrane of the eyes, joints and bones, gastrointestinal tract, meninges, central nervous system, genitourinary area.

How are shapes determined? The first signs of the development of such a disease are:

• sleep disturbance, general irritability as a result of the influence of a pathogen on the central nervous system;
• increased sweating due to massive tissue intoxication by pathogenic bacteria;
• unhealthy pallor, uneven blush;
• a decrease in the level of leukocytes and erythrocytes in the blood, which is accompanied by the development of conditions characteristic of anemia.

How to determine tuberculosis in a child?

Detection of the disease in the early stages in children is part of a mandatory preventive program in educational institutions aimed at preventing epidemics. The main goal here is to identify children who are at high risk. These categories include:

1. Children who have related, family, or residential contacts with infected people.
2. Infected, which has more than 6 mm in diameter.
3. Children who suffer from nonspecific, chronic diseases respiratory tract.
4. HIV-infected.
5. Children who didn't pass BCG vaccination at an early age.

How to identify a child with tuberculosis? For this. In addition to hyperergic injection tests, fluorography methods are used from the age of 15. Subject to availability obvious symptoms diseases, sputum culture is performed.

In conclusion

The initial stage of tuberculosis development is not easy due to the nature of the disease. Manifestations of the disease can easily be confused with symptoms common cold or the flu. To avoid damage to the body by the causative agent of tuberculosis, do not forget about the factors that can lead to infection. In terms of prevention, it is necessary to periodically resort to diagnostic procedures.

Depending on the location, individual characteristics organism and forms of tuberculosis, symptoms can be very diverse. If the symptoms of tuberculosis in adults are detected early, the disease is highly treatable. Late-diagnosed, advanced pulmonary tuberculosis is often incurable.

Tuberculosis - what is it? An infectious (can be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy) disease caused by specific pathogen- bacteria of the genus Mycobacterium. In the XVII – XVIII centuries During the period of urbanization and rapid development of industry, the incidence of tuberculosis acquired the character of an epidemic in Europe. In 1650, 20% of deaths among residents of England and Wales were due to tuberculosis.

According to WHO information, about 2 billion people, a third of the total population of the Earth, are infected with tuberculosis. Currently, 9 million people worldwide fall ill with this disease every year, of which 3 million die from its complications.

Pathogen

The most common pathogen is Koch's bacillus, a bacterium discovered in 1882 by a German microbiologist, Nobel laureate Robert Koch. They are very tenacious, perfectly resistant to aggressive factors and do not disintegrate even when using modern disinfectants.

The typical site of infection is the lungs, but tuberculosis of the skin, bones, eyes, lymphatic, genitourinary, digestive, and nervous systems is also distinguished.

How is tuberculosis transmitted?

It is important to remember that the main sources of tuberculosis infection are infected people. Transmission of infection occurs by inhaling air with pathogens dispersed in it. The main ways the disease is transmitted:

1. Airborne– the main route of transmission of infection. Mycobacteria are released into the air with particles of sputum, saliva when a patient talks, coughs or sneezes in an open form (a form in which pathogens are released into environment) tuberculosis;
2. Contact and household– when using dishes, personal hygiene items, and linen of a sick person;
3. Nutritional (food) – when consuming products obtained from infected animals;
4. Intrauterine - from a sick mother to the fetus during pregnancy or during childbirth.

Carriage of tuberculosis is not contagious; the presence of a tuberculosis infection in a person in the absence of signs of the disease itself is not tuberculosis. When a person develops active tuberculosis, symptoms (cough, night sweats, weight loss, etc.) may appear in mild form for many months.

Pulmonary tuberculosis: first signs

There are certain first signs that may indicate the development of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults:

• weakness;
• lethargy;
• dizziness;
• poor appetite or lack thereof;
• apathy;
• poor sleep;
• night sweats;
• pallor;
• weight loss;
• low-grade body temperature.

The presence of these symptoms is a significant reason to visit a doctor and undergo additional examination for pulmonary tuberculosis. If a person missed this point, then these symptoms are accompanied by symptoms from the respiratory system:

• cough - most often with sputum production;
• dyspnea;
• hemoptysis - from streaks of blood in the sputum to significant pulmonary hemorrhage;
• pain in chest worse when coughing.

The last 2 symptoms are signs of complicated forms of the disease and require immediate initiation of treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis: symptoms

With tuberculosis, it is important not to miss the first symptoms, when the chance of curing the disease remains high.

However, there are some nuances here, because often pulmonary tuberculosis for a long time occurs without noticeable symptoms and is discovered completely by accident, for example, during fluorography.

Most forms of pulmonary tuberculosis are characterized by the following symptoms:

1. General human condition– adults with limited forms of tuberculosis complain of increased fatigue, weakness, especially pronounced in morning time, a decrease in performance is also characteristic.
2. Cough . Dry to moist, with noticeable sputum. It may have a cheesy, purulent appearance. When blood is added, it takes on the appearance of “rusty” to a liquid impurity, unchanged (hemoptysis).
3. General appearance: patients lose up to 15 kilograms or more in weight, so they look thin, the face is pale, facial features become sharper and therefore it seems more beautiful, a blush on the cheeks is noticeable against the background of pale skin.
4. Shortness of breath. It is caused by a reduction in the respiratory surface of the lungs due to inflammation and sclerosis (scarring).
5. Increase in body temperature: in limited forms, the temperature increase is insignificant (37.5-38 C), but long-lasting.
6. Temperature rises in the evening or at night, observed at night profuse sweating, chills
7. Chest pain. They join in the advanced stages of the disease and during the transition of the tuberculosis process to the pleura.

Lesions of other organs are accompanied by signs that, at first glance, are indistinguishable from the symptoms of other common ailments, so it makes no sense to consider them within the framework of this material.

Symptoms in children

IN childhood Tuberculosis develops somewhat differently than in adults. This is due to the child’s underdeveloped immune system. The disease progresses much faster and leads to the most tragic consequences.

These signs should alert parents:

• cough lasting more than 20 days;
• prolonged increase in temperature;
• loss of appetite;
• fatigue;
• noticeable weight loss;
• decreased attention, leading to lag in studies;
• signs of intoxication.

In general, the symptoms of tuberculosis in children, as in adults, depend on the form of the disease and the location of the infectious process.

Complications

The following are the consequences of pulmonary tuberculosis:

1. Pneumothorax is the accumulation of air in pleural cavity- the space surrounding the lung.
2. Respiratory failure. With massive tuberculosis damage to the lungs, the volume of effectively working lungs decreases, which leads to a decrease in blood oxygen saturation.
3. . Usually accompanied by respiratory failure.
4. Amyloidosis of internal organs.
5. Pulmonary hemorrhage. It can develop when a vessel in the lungs is destroyed as a result of tuberculous inflammation.

Prevention

Prevention of the development of tuberculosis consists of timely completion of preventive examinations, primarily fluorography, as well as identification of persons with an open form of the disease and their isolation.

Vaccination ( BCG vaccine) - performed on the 5-7th day of life, revaccination is carried out for children aged 7, 12 and 17 years, as well as adults under 30 years old, in whom the Mantoux test gave a negative or questionable result.

Diagnostics

Effective diagnostic methods aimed at detecting tuberculosis infection include:

1. Fluorography of the chest;
2. Mantoux test;
3. Blood test for tuberculosis;
4. X-ray of the lungs;
5. Sowing of gastric and bronchi lavage waters, sputum and discharge of neoplasms on the skin.

Most modern method– PCR. This is DNA diagnostics, when the patient’s sputum is taken for analysis. The result can be found out in 3 days, the reliability is 95-100%.

Treatment of tuberculosis

Treatment of this disease should be started immediately after its detection and carried out continuously and over a long period of time.

The basis of tuberculosis treatment is the use of anti-tuberculosis drugs (chemotherapy). There are main and reserve anti-tuberculosis drugs. The main ones are isoniazid, ethambutol, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, streptomycin. Reserve - kanamycin, prothionamide, amikacin, ethionamide, cycloserine, PAS, capreomycin and others.

In addition to chemotherapy, the treatment program for pulmonary tuberculosis includes:

• following a high-calorie diet;
• correction of anemia, hypovitaminosis, leukopenia;
• use of glucocorticoids according to indications;
• sanatorium-resort holidays;
• surgical treatment (removal of the affected internal organ or its part, drainage of the cavity, etc.).

Treatment of drug-sensitive tuberculosis takes at least 6 months, and sometimes lasts up to 2 years. Evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment is carried out monthly based on the results of detection of the pathogen in the patient’s sputum. To suppress the infection, therapy must be carried out systematically, without pauses, then tuberculosis will not be able to progress.

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Tuberculosis is serious illness with a fairly significant proportion of deaths. A significant role in this is played not only by its prevalence, but also by the fact that the disease can develop asymptomatically for a significant period of time. This is why it is important to know how to identify tuberculosis at an early stage.

Pulmonary tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by a group of mycobacteria that affects the respiratory system. In various cases, other organs and systems of the body may become inflamed.

The danger of the disease is determined by the following criteria:

• Hidden current. The first symptoms can manifest themselves only over time and, moreover, they may not cause concern, since they do not have a pronounced character;
• Mycobacteria of the species mycobacteria tuberculosis have high level viability, easily spread in different conditions external environment;
• The causative agents of the disease can quickly become resistant to drugs, which makes treatment very difficult.
  The disease, depending on the location of the pathogen, has two main forms:
• Pulmonary;
• Extrapulmonary.

The first type accounts for more than ninety percent of cases.

Symptoms of tuberculosis at an early stage

Symptoms of the disease tend to develop gradually. And if at the first stage, when the body is directly infected and the bacteria multiply, signs of tuberculosis may be completely absent, then at the second stage, known as “latent”, certain symptoms of the disease may be noticed.

Among them are the following:

• Deterioration of health in the form of weakness of the body. You feel a loss of strength, and fatigue sets in much earlier than usual;
• Loss of body weight. This phenomenon occurs without associated reasons, such as dieting or exercise;
• Excessive sweating;
• Feeling nauseous.

Such disturbances in the functioning of the body are often not taken seriously by people, since they are very similar to the course of the common ARVI. For this reason, the manifestation of such symptoms, especially in combination and for more than two to three weeks, should raise doubts and the need to visit a doctor. Primary indicators also include headaches and enlarged lymph nodes.

With more long-term development inflammatory process in the body, to these symptoms are added:

• Cough. It can be either wet with sputum or dry;
• Visualization of particles in sputum;
• Pain in the chest area.

The most dangerous and undeniable sign of tuberculosis is the discharge of blood along with coughing and pulmonary hemorrhage.

As soon as the pathogen enters the body, the immune system tries to suppress it. But, if for some reason a person’s immunity is in a weakened state and is unable to resist the bacteria, the development of the inflammatory process begins. Transmission of the disease is possible even at home.

How can you become infected with tuberculosis?

The main methods of infection include:

• Airborne. When pathogens enter the air as a result of coughing, they can remain infectious for a long time;
• Food. Tuberculosis can affect not only the human body, but also animals. If contaminated meat or other animal product has been consumed, the likelihood of infection is very high;
• Contact. A very extensive route of infection, which includes kissing, sexual intercourse with the owner of tuberculosis, and even the use of his personal belongings, for example, utensils. This category also includes the risk of infection as a result of caring for sick pets;
• From mother to child. The risk of intrauterine infection of a child from a sick mother is quite high, but not one hundred percent. It will be possible to diagnose the disease in a baby only after birth.

The absolute leader in disease transmission at all times has been and remains airborne. If a person has doubts about possible contact with a carrier of the disease, then he should think about how to identify the symptoms of tuberculosis.

Diagnostic methods

Treatment for tuberculosis is prescribed in mandatory. Otherwise, death is possible. Late diagnosis of an already actively occurring inflammatory process can lead to a similar result.

For early definition tuberculosis in children, the well-known Mantoux test is performed. It is often carried out directly in schools and kindergartens. If the test is positive, the child is additionally examined by a doctor to confirm or refute the diagnosis.

The first suspicion of developing tuberculosis in adults can be detected by a doctor by auscultation. For more accurate diagnosis diseases, methods such as fluorography and sputum culture are used.

This method allows you to obtain reliable results in a short time. For the purpose early diagnosis diseases, every adult is recommended to undergo the procedure at least once a year. The image obtained by the device allows you to clearly see foci of tuberculosis if they exist.

Fluorography is the most common and effective way diagnosis of tuberculosis

That's enough convenient option diagnosis, and for this reason it is most often used when it is necessary to provide a certificate of absence of tuberculosis in various organs or when applying for a job.

Sputum culture

Perhaps not the most convenient method for diagnosing tuberculosis. But he plays differently important role in this matter. If the diagnosis is confirmed, sputum culture can identify the strain of mycobacterium. It is this data that will allow us to select medicines, which can be effective in combating the pathogen.

A person’s social lifestyle always carries the threat of infection with one or another type of disease. Tuberculosis is of particular concern. But if you follow the recommendations for regular diagnosis of this dangerous disease, you can be confident in your advantages over him.

Tuberculosis – terrible disease, only those people who lead an asocial lifestyle, eat poorly, do not have a permanent place of residence, etc. can become infected with it.

A prosperous person will never be affected by this disease. These are the thoughts of many people. Is this true? Let's figure out what kind of disease this is and how to identify it.

Tuberculosis is primarily an infectious disease that can be caused by different types microbacteria, most often Koch's bacillus.

Is tuberculosis contagious? – Yes, this disease is transmitted by airborne droplets. When an infected person coughs, expectorates, or sneezes, they release germs into the air.

From this we can conclude that anyone can become infected with tuberculosis, regardless of their well-being, financial situation or status in society.

Yes, of course, an asocial way of life contributes to this disease, but is not a single factor.

Moreover, an infected person may not even know that he is already suffering from tuberculosis, continue to go to work, travel to public transport. That is why it is very important to know and be able to identify the symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis in initial stage.

It is very difficult to make a diagnosis of tuberculosis at the initial stage, since the symptoms are very similar to ordinary ARVI or can even be asymptomatic, that is, symptoms are not detected.

This is where the lifestyle of a particular person and the state of his immune system play an important role. These factors influence the detection of tuberculosis in an adult, making it quite difficult.

So, how to identify tuberculosis if it clearly does not manifest itself in any way, what signs should you pay attention to?

Signs of tuberculosis:

• weakness, rapid quenching.
• signs of influenza or ARVI.
• loss of appetite, weight loss.
• slight increase in body temperature (37.2-37.5)
• cough for 3 weeks or more (immediately dry and infrequent, over time wet and constant)
• headaches, swollen lymph nodes.

If you notice any of these symptoms, especially 2 or more, then this is a reason to seek medical help.

IN medical institution, after a series of examinations, you will be able to receive an accurate diagnosis and receive immediate treatment.

It is very important to know that tuberculosis can affect not only the lungs, but also other organs: bones, brain, kidneys.

There are several stages of tuberculosis:

1. Primary infection. At this stage, as a rule, the person feels well, but sometimes signs of malaise may be present. Inflammation at this stage, local, affects those areas where microorganisms have entered
2. Stage hidden infection. If a person has a weakened immune system, the infection begins to spread and create foci of inflammation in other organs.
3. Recurrent tuberculosis of the adult type. This stage is characterized by damage to many organs, most often the lungs. The patient's general well-being worsens. Cavities can form on the lungs, and when they enter the bronchi, tuberculosis becomes open.

Also, there are 2 forms of tuberculosis: open and closed.

The open form of tuberculosis is considered the most severe and dangerous. At open form, bacteria can be detected in the patient’s sputum, urine, and feces. The person becomes contagious.

The general condition of the patient worsens, constant fatigue appears, body temperature rises from time to time, and most often, hemoptysis is present.

The closed form of tuberculosis is a form in which microorganisms are already present in the human body, but are not active.

With the closed form, the person is not contagious, usually feels well and may not be aware of the presence of tuberculosis.

It is also possible to determine some phases of the development of tuberculosis, namely:

• infiltration, decay, contamination;
• resorption, compaction, scarring, calcification.

These phases help determine the stage of activity of tuberculosis changes and view the dynamics of its reverse development, that is, recovery.

How can this disease be accurately diagnosed?

First of all, you need to contact to a specialized doctor. In clinics, this is a therapist/pediatrician. In anti-tuberculosis dispensaries these are pulmonologists and phthisiatricians.

The doctor will conduct general examination and, if necessary, send for further diagnostics.

There are several diagnostic methods.

• Tuberculin diagnostics;
• X-ray examination;
• Enzyme immunoassay.

Tuberculin diagnostics is a diagnosis of children and adolescents, which is performed annually, from the age of one.

The principle of operation is quite simple: a special solution, tuberculin (tuberculosis allergen), is injected under the child’s skin to detect an immune response.

On the third day, the result is assessed. The health care worker measures the diameter of the reaction (papules - redness, swelling around the injection site). Based on this result, we can talk about the adequacy or inadequacy of the immune response.

X-ray examination is fluorography or x-ray of the lungs. Let's look at each method separately and find out what the difference between these methods is.

Fluorography is photography from a fluorescent (X-ray) screen of the image that appears on it as a result of the passage of X-rays through the human body.

The peculiarity is that fluorography gives a reduced image of a part of the body. Doctors advise to carry out this study at least once a year. This allows the disease to be detected at an early stage.

X-ray of the lungs is considered a more complex and more informative type of diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

In fact, this is the same picture as with fluorography, but it is larger, which means that even small foci of inflammation can be seen on it.

Likewise, at the core this method, lies the overexposure (color change) of certain areas of the film. Which also gives more accurate results.

Microbiological diagnostics is considered the most effective and informative method for detecting tuberculosis at an early stage.

Most often there are 2 methods used microbiological diagnostics: microscopy and bacteriological examination sputum.

The advantages of these studies are that they allow us to assess the degree of infectivity and the effectiveness of treatment.

For this method, the patient needs to collect the sputum that is released when coughing into a dry, clean container and close it with a lid.

Sputum is collected within 2 days, at least there should be 3 portions obtained in different times days. Then, as quickly as possible, take the collected material to the laboratory.

Enzyme immunoassay is a detection method, a blood test that can determine the presence of tubercle bacilli in the body.

This method is used more like additional research, or for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis.

If, after carrying out these diagnostic methods, a person is diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis, in An obvious question pops into my head.

How to treat and how long is pulmonary tuberculosis treated?

If tuberculosis is recognized and diagnosed in time, it is quite treatable. Yes, this is not an easy or quick treatment.

In this case, the main thing is compliance with the treatment regimen, not skipping medications, and completing the treatment.

Depending on the severity of the disease, treatment can last up to 2 years. If you follow all the rules and recommendations of the attending physician, then treatment lasts, on average, about a year.

The main method of therapy is medication. The patient is prescribed, simultaneously, to take several drugs that have different effects on the causative agent of the disease.

Since the drugs are quite serious, it is better to carry out treatment as an inpatient, in an anti-tuberculosis dispensary.

To improve results, in addition to drug therapy, the patient is offered activities to improve general immunity: breathing exercises, physiotherapy, vitamin therapy, physical therapy, proper nutrition.

In extreme cases, use surgery(removal of part of the affected lung).

In other cases, tuberculosis develops into chronic stage, and this patient poses a danger to others, as he releases microorganisms into the air.

Prevention

The main prevention of tuberculosis is annual fluorography for adults and the Mantoux reaction in children and adolescents.

Newborns are also vaccinated 3-6 days after birth (BCG).

An important role in the prevention of this disease is played by healthy image life.