Causes, Signs& Symptoms, and Treatment:
ABSTRACT;
Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases responsible for millions of deaths annually across the world. In this article a general overview of Tuberculosis and its causes, signs, and symptoms, and treatment is present.
INTRODUCTION;
Tuberculosis (TB) is an ancient human disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis which mainly affects the lungs, making the pulmonary disease the most common presentation. However, TB is a multi-systemic disease with a protean presentation. The organ system most commonly affected includes the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal (GI) system, the lymphoreticular system, the skin, the central nervous system, the musculoskeletal system, the reproductive system, and the liver.
CAUSE OF TUBERCULOSIS;
Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis that spread through the air, just like a cold or the flu. You can get TB only if you come into contact with people who have it.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF TUBERCULOSIS:
Early warning signs;
A person should see a doctor if they experience it,
• A persistent cough, lasting at least 3 weeks phlegm, which may have blood in it, when they cough
• A loss of appetite and weight
• A general feeling of fatigue and being unwell
• Swelling in the neck
• A fever
• Night sweats
• Chest pain
SYMPTOMS;
Latent TB: A person with latent TB will have no symptoms, and no damage will show on a chest X-ray. However, a blood test or skin prick test will indicate that they have a TB infection.
Active TB: A person with TB disease may experience a cough that produces phlegm, fatigue, a fever, chills, and a loss of appetite and weight. Symptoms typically worsen over time, but they can also spontaneously go away and return.
By; Syed Naqi Ali Rizvi
BSc. (Hons) in Physiology, University of Karachi.
(Expected in 2022)
