Pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB)

      INTRODUCTION

         #Definition

• Pulmonary tuberculosis (pulmonary TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

                      or

• It is a chronic infectious disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis  (M.tuberculosis) & characterized by the formation of tubercles or granulomas in lungs.                                                
• Granulomas means localized collection of cells usually produced in response to an infectious process.                                                                       
• It may be transmitted to other body parts such as meninges,bones,kidneys,lymph nodes.             
• About one-third of the world's population is infected with this type of bacteria.                   
• TB (tuberculosis bacteria) can become active when the immune system is unable to prevent the bacteria from multiplying. However, most of the people with latent TB never go on to develop active disease.Skin or blood test to check for the presence of M. tuberculosis.

          # Causes/Aetiology

1. Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
2. By air droplets.
3. By exposure with person who is infected to prolonged and close frequent.

      

          # Risk Factor

1. Smoking
2. Excessive Alcohol addiction.
3. malnutrition.
4. poor health.
5. HIV infection.
6. infant and children under 5 years age.

         # Sign & Symptoms

1. In early stage,T.B is free from symptoms.
2. In Later Stage-

• Malaise.
• Fatigue.
• Anorexia.
• weight loss.
• Low grade fever.
• Cough with sputum.
• Chest pain.
• Irregular menstruation in women.

      3. In Acute Phase TB-

• High fever 
• Chills.
• Pleuritic pain.
• Production of cough.

         

Pulmonary TB Sign & symptoms

         # Diagnostic Evaluation 

             

1. Physical examination.
2. History collection.
3. Chest x-ray (presence of nodular patches).
4. Sputum test.
5. Mantoux test (Tuberculin Injected Intradermally).
6. Blood test (Increased WBC,ESR).

        # Complications

• Pleural effusion. T.B .
• Pneumonia.

       # Medical management

           

1. Ethambutol (25 mg/kg/day).
2. Streptomycin (15 mg/kg/day- I.M)
3. Capromycin.
4. kanamycin.
5. PASA (Para Ammino Salicylic Acid).