Symptoms of tuberculosis in children and adults. Treatment
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Koch's bacillus). Detecting the first signs of tuberculosis will help to start treatment in a timely manner and save the patient from the consequences of this pathology.
Paths of infection. The importance of the social factor.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis most often affects the respiratory system. But the symptoms of tuberculosis in adults and children can be manifested by almost all organs and systems of the body.
Ways of human infection:
- air-drop;
- contact;
- food.
Understanding how tuberculosis is transmitted will help prevent the disease.
Most often the source of infection is people with an open form of pulmonary tuberculosis. The pathogen enters the air, and it is inhaled by healthy people. One patient can infect more than ten people during the year. It is also possible to get infected from cattle and poultry - through milk, eggs, water, where the feces of sick animals got into.
After infection with tuberculosis mycobacteria, the disease does not always appear, and if it does develop, then in some cases it is not immediately. For tuberculosis to occur, it is necessary for the body to be unable to fight the pathogen. This is usually observed under unfavorable living conditions that threaten:
- deterioration of immunity;
- poor nutrition;
- background diseases;
- living in inappropriate living conditions.
Classification. Open and closed forms of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis exists in a large number of forms. One of the most important gradations of the disease is the division into open and closed forms of tuberculosis. In the closed form, Koch's bacillus lives in the tissues of the carrier or a sick person and does not enter the external environment. The open form threatens to infect healthy people - the carrier or the patient freely release the pathogen into the environment when:
- sneezing;
- cough;
- spitting.
Tuberculosis can be primary (the one that occurs for the first time) and secondary (recurrent).
The primary form of the disease can be sublocal (tuberculosis intoxication in children) and localized. Secondary tuberculosis is divided into pulmonary and non-pulmonary.
Pulmonary tuberculosis occurs:
- disseminated (the entire lung is affected);
- focal (impressions in the form of individual cells);
- infiltrative (infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis is a type of disease with fluid in the lung tissue and foci of its decay;
- cavernous (caverns are formed in the lungs - places where there is no tissue);
- fibrous-cavernous (caverns are "overgrown" with connective tissue);
- cirrhotic (the entire lung is overgrown with connective tissue).
With extrapulmonary tuberculosis, the brain and spinal cord, their membranes, small and large intestines, peritoneum, lymph nodes, bones and joints, genitourinary organs, skin and eyes are most often affected.
Symptoms of the disease
The symptoms of tuberculosis in adults depend on which organ is affected. In the case of tuberculosis of the lungs, the main symptoms will be:
- cough (dry or with expectoration);
- shortness of breath;
- when the disease progresses - hemoptysis;
- chest pains.
The duration of the disease is also important. For example, with tuberculosis of the spine at an early stage, slight pain in the back and impaired functionality of the spine appear, and with a long-term lesion, the pain increases, deformation occurs and the mobility of the spine deteriorates.
Regardless of which organ is affected, tuberculosis is characterized by disturbances in the patient's general condition. They are taken into account when diagnosing tuberculosis of bones, lungs, skin, lymph nodes and other localization of the disease. It:
- appetite deterioration;
- sweating;
- increased body temperature;
- fatigue, reduced work capacity.
Patients lose weight, a characteristic blush appears on their cheeks, and facial features become sharper.
Diagnosis of tuberculosis
There is no universal "blood test for tuberculosis" to detect any form of it. Diseases are diagnosed using various instrumental and laboratory research methods.
In children, tuberculosis is detected using the Mantoux test: tuberculin is injected intradermally and the reaction is evaluated.
The detection of the first signs of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults is possible with the help of fluorography. For signs of the disease, a complete X-ray of the lungs is performed. X-ray, as well as computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and other methods will help to detect tuberculous damage to other organs. To confirm the diagnosis, biological secretions of a person are studied under a microscope and cultures are made on nutrient media with subsequent analysis of colonies.
Microscopic examination of tissues is also carried out. Tissue biopsy is performed to collect the material.
Treatment
The treatment of tuberculosis is based on:
- anti-tuberculosis drugs, divided into 3 efficiency groups. They are prescribed for a long time, regardless of whether it is the treatment of patients with tuberculosis of the kidneys, lungs or other organs;
- high-calorie balanced diet;
- physiotherapy;
- symptomatic therapy (expectorants, painkillers).
Patients are first treated in a tuberculosis dispensary, and after the cessation of Koch bacillus excretion - on an outpatient basis. In destructive forms, surgical treatment with excision of non-viable tissues is indicated.
Read more about how to treat tuberculosis of the skin, bones and other organs on our website Dobrobut.com.
Prevention of tuberculosis in children and adults
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease. It is difficult to limit yourself from contact with patients - it can happen in any public place. Therefore, for the prevention of tuberculosis in children and adults, the following are important:
- strengthening of immunity;
- compliance with hygiene rules;
- vaccination.
Tuberculosis is almost never detected in people who harden their bodies, eat well, rest on time and live in proper conditions (with normal humidity, air temperature, ventilation, and so on).
Vaccination is carried out with BCG vaccine, immunity develops after 2 months. Vaccinations will help to avoid the exhausting fight against focal tuberculosis or other forms of it.
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