Tuberculosis(TB)can be an active infection or a latent infection.
In an active TB infection, theMycobacterium tuberculosisbacteria multiply in the body, most oftenin the lungs.
During active infection with TB, you may feel ill and can transmit the infection to others.
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Alatent TB infectionoccurs when the bacteria are in the body but not causing serious illness.
Both active and latent TB infections have effective treatments but require a long course of antibiotics.
This article will discuss the signs of active TB, diagnostics, and treatments available.
The symptoms will depend on the body site.
It may produce:
All of the symptoms of TB are serious.
Contact a healthcare provider if you suspect a tuberculosis infection because these symptoms require medical evaluation.
Causes
Tuberculosis iscaused byMycobacterium tuberculosisbacteriatransmitted from person to person.
it’s possible for you to contract TB by inhaling the bacteria from someone who has an active infection.
People with latent infections do not release bacteria in respiratory droplets, so they do not transmit TB.
TB often spreads among individuals living close together.
Despite TB’s high level of infectiousness, not every person who acquires TB will develop symptoms.
This includes people with HIV, diabetes, head and neck cancer, and injection drug users.
Diagnosis of Active Tuberculosis
Diagnostic testsare available to evaluate for active TB infection.
Screening for latent TB is recommended for anyone at greater risk of exposure to TB.
Your healthcare provider may recommend one-time screening or regular screening if you are at continued risk of exposure.
The most common tests aretuberculin skin testsand interferon-gamma release blood tests (QuantiFERON-Gold or T-SPOT.TB).
These tests often screen for TB exposure.
However, they cannot diagnose active tuberculosis.
Fortunately, combination therapies use multiple antibiotics targeting different pathways to treat TB effectively.
These antibiotics must be taken for several months.
Your healthcare provider will evaluate your medical conditions and TB status to better develop a custom treatment plan.
Some people will need nine months of treatment.
In some cases, the treatment may be simplified to two agents and treatment for four months.
Active TB involving the throat or lungscan be transmitted to others.
You should stay home.
not go to work or school.
Summary
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that most often affects the lungs.
It can be active and produce symptoms or latent symptoms.
Tests and imaging can detect active or latent TB infection.
A long course of antibiotics treats active TB infection.
If you have a positive TB test, work with your healthcare provider to evaluate the best next step.
Imaging and further testing can determine whether there is an active infection.
TB is very infectious and difficult for the body to remove.
If you have a TB infection, you will need treatment to fully eradicate the bacteria.
Without treatment, TB will remain in the body and the bacteria may progress to develop a severe infection.
TB is a bacteria that has developed resistance to many antibiotics.
The bacteria have numerous ways to avoid detection and clearance from the body.
In addition, TB can develop resistance to antibiotics treatments.
Without complete treatment, TB infection has the potential to happen again.
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