What is Tuberculosis?
It is an infectious disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is a germ.
How is it transmitted?
It is transmitted with droplets expelled when people suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis either cough or sneeze.
What are the main symptoms
In pulmonary tuberculosis the most common symptoms are coughing, with or without sputum, chest pain and shortness of breath and fatigue, weakness, weight loss, fever, etc.
Which groups are most at risk?
Most sensitive are the children, the elderly, people suffering from kidney failure, cancer patients, alcoholics, drug addicts, etc.
What is Mantoux?
It is a skin test with which we can check if someone is infected with tuberculosis. The test is based on the intradermal injection of a small amount of tuberculotic protein and the reaction to the test is checked after 2-3 days.
I’m infected. What does it mean?
Most people who inhale mycobacterium become infected, but the human organism has the ability to defend itself and stop their growth. In this way mycobacteria become inactive, but they remain in the body and may become active later. Many people who are infected never develop tuberculosis, but others, especially those with an impaired immune system, may develop tuberculosis later in the future. Those who become infected do not feel sick, they have no symptoms, they do not transmit the disease and they usually have a positive Mantoux test. These individuals are said to have a “latent infection”.
CAUTION: Infection with mycobacterium tuberculosis does not mean the presence of active tuberculosis
I have tuberculosis. What does it mean?
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is activated if the immune system cannot inhibit its multiplication. Active mycobacteria multiply within the body and develop the disease. Some people get sick almost immediately after infection, but others may get sick later, when for some reason their immune system suppresses. More sensitive are young children and the elderly, as well as people with diabetes, chronic kidney failure, leukemia or lymphomas, alcoholics, drug users, patients using corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs, HIV patients and malnourished people.
Can Tuberculosis be cured?
It is almost always a treatable disease with the help of antituberculous drugs that patients need to receive for months, under the supervision of the attending pulmonologist.
