Tuberculosis is an important medical and social problem of our time. According to medical indicators, 3 million people die from this disease every year, and the incidence rate among the population is 8 million patients per year. The insidiousness of this disease lies in the fact that from the moment of infection with the causative agent of the disease, to the acute period of its development, a lot of time can pass, up to several years.

The reason for the increased incidence of tuberculosis among the population is considered to be a decrease in the body's immune forces, poor-quality and unbalanced nutrition, poor social and living conditions, difficult working conditions and other factors that significantly worsen the quality of human life. People of all ages are at risk for development, from infants and children to adults and the elderly. Despite the high mortality from this disease, it is still treatable, especially in the initial stages of its development. Therefore, it is very important to identify tuberculosis - symptoms and first signs. Only then will there be a chance for a successful recovery, preventing the development of a chronic form and complications that can be life-threatening.

Tuberculosis - what kind of disease?

This is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that can affect both the respiratory system and other internal organs and systems of a person. The causative agent of tuberculosis is the bacterium Mycobacterium (Koch's bacillus), which is most often transmitted by airborne droplets, less often by contact with an infected person or by the transplacental route.

The Koch bacterium is resistant to the external environment, as well as to high temperature conditions. For example, in water, this microorganism can survive for 60 days, and on the surface of household items for about four weeks. In a cold environment or in a frozen state, the stick can live for decades. The entry gate for the penetration of the pathogen is the respiratory tract. After the initial penetration into the mucous membranes of the bronchi, the microorganism enters the alveoli, then penetrates into the blood stream and spreads throughout the body. If a person has had close contact with someone who has tuberculosis, this does not mean at all that he will definitely become infected with it.

Once in the human body, the tuberculosis bacillus encounters multiple barriers of the immune system that can protect us from the effects of a foreign organism. In cases where a person's immunity is weakened, there is a risk of getting sick or becoming a carrier of Koch's sticks. After the penetration of microorganisms into the human body, they can be in an inactive form for a long time. In addition, it is not so easy to suspect signs, because this ailment is one of those that often resemble completely different diseases. According to medical indicators, one third of TB patients in the early stages do not experience any symptoms, which in turn complicates the course and treatment of the disease. Therefore, it is very important to recognize the first sign, this will significantly increase the chance to cure a person and prevent the transition to more severe stages, which often lead to death.

Tuberculosis: causes

The main cause of the development of the disease is Koch's microbacterium, which, after penetrating the human body, may not manifest itself for a long time. The activation of bacteria occurs when the human immune system does not have enough resources to destroy the pathogen. It does not belong to highly contagious diseases, but as modern studies have shown, 1 bacillus excretor can infect about 15 people. It is important to note that getting infected does not mean getting sick. It all depends on the state of the human immune system, concomitant diseases, as well as lifestyle. There are several predisposing factors for development:

• drug use;
• smoking;
• alcohol abuse;
• predisposition to diseases of the respiratory system;
• diabetes;
• malnutrition;
• frequent depression and stress;
• internal chronic diseases;
• unfavorable living conditions.

Based on the above factors, we can conclude that all of them in one way or another are associated with a violation and a decrease in immunity.

Signs of tuberculosis

After the penetration of the stick into the body, it is introduced into the lung tissue, where it begins to actively multiply, causing an inflammatory process. At the beginning of the development of the disease, an infected person does not feel severe symptoms.

At the first stages of development, a person may feel a breakdown, a sharp loss in weight, night sweats. The temperature increase in the initial stages is not observed, there is also no cough. Cough and fever are noted only when the pathogen has entered the bloodstream and extensively affected the lung tissue. The erased picture of tuberculosis at the beginning of its development, as a rule, does not arouse suspicion in a person, and the disease, in turn, progresses, acquires new stages of development, which force one to see a doctor.

Stages of tuberculosis

This disease, like any other, has its own stages of development:

• The primary form is the period of development when the pathogen is in the lungs;
• Latent infection is a latent period that prevents an infected person from infecting other people;
• An active disease or an open form is contagious to others;
• The secondary stage of the disease - the microorganism is aggressive and spreads throughout the body.

Based on the practice of TB doctors, most people have a latent form of tuberculosis when the Koch stick is in the body, but does not cause any discomfort to a person. Quite a part of the primary type goes into an open form. For this, the bacteria will need up to 2 years of habitation in the human body. In addition, in order for the wand to begin to actively multiply and go through new stages, there must be provoking factors. With strong immunity and a healthy body, the tuberculosis bacillus does not have the ability to multiply, and dies a few days or weeks after settling in the respiratory system.

Tuberculosis symptoms

Clinical signs do not appear immediately, but only when the causative agent of the disease has entered the bloodstream or hit most of the lungs. At first, the symptoms of tuberculosis are mild, but as the disease progresses, they become more pronounced. The main symptoms in the acute period are the following symptoms:

• cough with sputum production that lasts more than 3 weeks;
• an admixture in the blood in the sputum;
• temperature rise to subfebrile;
• weight loss;
• increased fatigue;
• lack of appetite;
• abrupt mood swings;
• increased irritability;
• decrease in performance.

The cough in tuberculosis is usually loose and frequent, especially in the morning. People who smoke often think of this cough as "smoker's cough" but should not be taken for granted. If at least 1-2 symptoms appear, it is better to consult a doctor and make sure that you do not suffer from this disease.

In cases where the disease develops more aggressively, the following symptoms may be present:

• increase in body temperature up to 38-39°C;
• pain under the sternum;
• pain in the shoulder area;
• painful, dry and hard cough;
• sweating during sleep.

The above symptoms may be present in other diseases, so it is unnecessary to worry prematurely, it is better to seek help from a doctor who, after examining the patient and collecting anamnesis, will be able to diagnose and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Symptoms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis

The causative agent can affect not only the lungs, but also other internal organs of a person. In such cases, we will talk about the extrapulmonary type. The defeat of any internal organ or system with Koch's wand is difficult to recognize, therefore, the diagnosis of internal organs is most often made after the exclusion of other pathologies. Symptoms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis depend on the localization of the disease and the affected organ.

• Tuberculosis of the brain - develops slowly, more often in children or people with diabetes or HIV infection. This form of the disease is characterized by an increase in body temperature, sleep disturbance, nervousness, an increase in the occipital muscles of the neck, back pain when stretching the legs or tilting the head forward. This form can manifest itself in all sorts of disorders in the work of the central nervous system.
• Tuberculosis of the digestive system - characterized by periodic violation of the stool, bloating, pain in the intestines, blood in the feces, high body temperature up to 40 degrees.
• Tuberculosis of bones and joints is rare and is manifested by pain in the affected areas of the body, limited joint mobility. This form is difficult to distinguish from other diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
• Tuberculosis of the genitourinary system - affects the kidneys and pelvic organs. It is characterized by back pain, fever, frequent and painful urination, and the presence of blood in the urine.
• Tuberculosis of the skin - manifests itself in the form of rashes on the skin, which quickly spread throughout the body, forming dense nodules that eventually burst.

The microorganism can affect other organs and systems, but it is difficult and almost impossible to determine it by clinical signs. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis develops when the pathogen enters the bloodstream and spreads through the bloodstream throughout the whole body, invading one of the internal organs or systems of the human body. The prognosis after treatment of extrapulmonary tuberculosis depends on many factors: the localization of the pathogen, the degree and stage of the affected organ, as well as general health and other factors. Therefore, it is difficult to answer the question, what is the prognosis after treatment.

How to recognize tuberculosis

It is impossible to determine the pathogen without the results of examinations, therefore, if this disease is suspected, the doctor prescribes a series of tests that will help identify the pathogen and determine the stage of the disease. Diagnosis consists of the collected patient history, study of the medical history, as well as the results of examinations such as:

1. The Mantoux reaction is an easy way to detect tuberculosis bacillus. If a person is sick, then the reaction of the sample will appear after 72 hours. The mantoux test will show whether an infection is present in the human body, but many specialists in the field of phthisiology consider this research method to be very inaccurate.
2. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is an informative diagnostic method that allows 98% to detect tuberculosis bacillus. In this case, the patient's sputum is examined.
3. X-ray of the chest - allows you to identify the focus of inflammation of the infection in the lungs.

The results of the examination allow the doctor to draw up a complete picture of the disease, identify the pathogen, determine the degree and stage of the disease, and prescribe treatment. It is important to note that at the initial stages of development, it responds well to treatment, which cannot be said about chronic forms.

How to treat tuberculosis?

As practice shows, it is possible to recover, but the most important thing is to detect it in time and strictly follow the doctor's recommendations, take the medicines prescribed by him throughout the course of treatment. Tuberculosis treatment should be complex and lengthy, from several months to several years. Important in therapy is the use of antibacterial drugs, the action of which is aimed at the destruction of the pathogenic pathogen. Usually the doctor prescribes several antibiotics that need to be taken for several months, as well as anti-tuberculosis drugs, probiotics, vitamin therapy and immunostimulants. In addition to taking medications, patients need a special diet and exercise therapy.

Drug treatment lasts up to 6 months or more. During this period, a sick person is in a tuberculosis dispensary. This isolation of the patient allows you to avoid infecting other people. After the treatment, a person periodically visits a doctor, takes the necessary tests and makes examinations, and is also registered at the dispensary. If the doctor prescribed a course of treatment for 6 months, then it must be completed in its entirety, otherwise the termination of treatment therapy may lead to a relapse of the disease and its progression.

It is important to note that improper treatment, as well as an incompletely completed course of medical therapy, lead to the transformation of the disease, which in turn leads to a relapse of the disease and its transition to severe and incurable forms, ending in death.

Photo 1. The main symptom of tuberculosis disease at an early stage in humans is a specific cough with sputum.

Symptoms of tuberculosis at an early stage:

• cough with phlegm;
• fast fatiguability;
• loss of appetite;
• weight loss;
• hemoptysis;
• temperature increase to subfebrile value;
• obsessive dry cough at night and in the morning;
• irritability;
• pressure drop;
• dizziness.

Photo 2. The appearance of a cough with blood in a patient with tuberculosis is a sign of the transition of the disease to an open form.

The increase in the above symptoms is characteristic as the pathology progresses.

Photo 4. Persistent chest pain that makes it difficult to breathe may accompany the closed form of tuberculosis disease.

If treatment is started on time, it is possible to prevent intoxication of the body in a short time, which occurs when the first symptoms of tuberculosis appear in adults. As practice shows, the body copes with a dangerous pathology.

Signs of the disease in the early stages

When identifying the symptoms of tuberculosis in the first stages, the following nuances are taken into account:

1. It is important to consult a doctor without delay. As a rule, the district therapist is engaged in the study of the clinical picture and the collection of anamnesis. Based on the results of the tests, which confirm the presence of mycobacteria in the patient's body, he refers the patient to a phthisiatrician who specializes in the development of tuberculosis.

Photo 5. X-ray is one of the most common methods for diagnosing tuberculosis used by TB doctors.

1. If tuberculosis is suspected, limit communication. Being an infectious disease, the closed and open form of pathology poses a direct threat to healthy people.
2. The therapy is carried out in stationary conditions using modern anti-tuberculosis drugs, under the supervision of a phthisiatrician.

The infectious process in children and adults is manifested indifferently to age. The first symptoms of tuberculosis:

• pallor of the skin;
• pointed facial features;
• rapid weight loss against the background of lack of appetite;
• the formation of an unnatural blush on sunken cheeks;
• painful shine of the eyes;
• increased susceptibility of the eyes to daylight.

F oto 6. Photophobia occurs in a person suffering from tuberculosis at an early stage, along with other signs of the disease.

If you have a persistent cough with sputum, see your doctor. Having studied the clinical picture and the results of the medical examination, the phthisiatrician will prescribe adequate therapy.

Signs of tuberculosis by type of disease

The table shows the main types of tuberculosis according to the principle of its localization.

Tuberculosis takes on extrapulmonary forms, affecting the internal organs of a person. The intensity of the development of tuberculosis depends on the localization of the focus of pathology, the individual characteristics of the body, the degree of resistance of the immune system to negative environmental factors. Depending on the localization, closed tuberculosis is classified as:

• bone tuberculosis
• genitourinary system
• lupus
• nervous system
• organs of the gastrointestinal tract
• brain damage
• miliary tuberculosis

Photo 7. Tuberculous disease of the skin is expressed in the form of systemic lupus erythematosus.

For the purposes of a productive diagnosis of tuberculosis, the fact that the pathology of the respiratory organs often occurs with symptoms of acute intoxication of the body, influenza, and pneumonia is taken into account. Drug therapy using modern broad-spectrum antibiotics can improve the patient's condition. However, a complete cure does not occur. The disease passes into a sluggish form, periods of relative well-being are replaced by relapse.

Photo 8. In anti-tuberculosis drug therapy, antibiotics specially designed for this purpose are used.

Extrapulmonary forms of the pathological process are accompanied by local symptoms. For example, tuberculous meningitis is characterized by characteristic migraines, tuberculous tonsillitis is accompanied by pain in the larynx, hoarseness. Tuberculosis of the musculoskeletal system leads to dysfunction of the joints and bones, accompanied by acute pain in the spine, joint.

Photo 9. Tuberculous meningitis is accompanied by bouts of intense headache, often in the frontal and occipital parts.

Women with tuberculosis of the reproductive system complain of aching persistent pain in the uterus, menstrual irregularities. The lumbar spine declares itself with acute pain in the case of a destructive process in the organs of the genitourinary system. Mesenteric lymph nodes are also affected by tuberculosis. In this case, patients are disturbed by the intestines, pain and pain in the abdomen.

Despite the fact that mycobacteria have been studied to date, they mutate, adapting to new environmental conditions, progressive antibiotics and other medicines. Experts are unanimous in their opinion: an unfavorable environmental factor causes the rapid development of the disease.

Difficulties in identifying the disease by symptoms

The development of the pathological process depends on the state of the immune system, the physiological characteristics of the patient. Symptoms of tuberculosis at an early stage in adults are similar to a cold, appearing under the guise of a viral respiratory infection, bronchitis, or chronic prostration.

Photo 10. Fresh air, sun and a healthy lifestyle are used to prevent tuberculosis.

The anamnesis and initial examination allow us to make an assumption about the development of a dangerous pathology. The complete clinical picture is based on the results of numerous tests:

• immunological blood test;
• microbiological research;
• radiation diagnostics;
• endoscopic diagnostics;
• morphological history;
• study of the genetic factor.

In the early stages of development, pathology does not cause any inconvenience. In the later stages, it poses a real threat to human life. In this regard, it is important to undergo a special examination once a year, which helps to diagnose and neutralize the pathological process at an early stage.

Video: Types of tuberculosis: x-ray

Tuberculosis is a severe disease caused by Koch's bacillus. Despite the development of modern medicine, the disease continues to be detected in a population of different ages. Children, adults with a weakened immune system, and the elderly are most susceptible to it. An important condition for successful treatment is the identification of pathology at an early stage of development. In order to seek medical help in a timely manner, it is necessary to have information on how to recognize the development of tuberculosis in the initial stage.

How to recognize the disease yourself

Knowing how to recognize tuberculosis at an early stage, you can avoid its further development and dangerous consequences. These can be damage to the lymphatic system, heart failure, and even death. If you are interested in how to understand that tuberculosis is spreading in the body, you should learn to pay attention to the slightest changes in well-being.

Most people are naturally interested in how to detect tuberculosis at an early stage. At the initial stage of development, the disease often occurs with symptoms resembling SARS, which can prevent its timely detection.

The characteristic signs that a person is infected are sweating with tuberculosis, a haggard appearance, pallor of the skin, and sudden weight loss.

How the disease develops

No one is immune from the possibility of developing lung disease. This requires knowledge of what symptoms of tuberculosis occur after infection with Koch's bacillus. The disease can proceed in a latent form for several months and even years. Having penetrated into the body, the tuberculosis bacterium provokes the emergence of a specific inflammatory focus of the disease - an infectious granuloma. After that, the pathological process spreads to the patient's lymphatic system.

In most cases, the pathology is activated against the background of a sharp decrease in immune defenses. The beginning of its development are such signs as:

• dry cough that does not go away for a long time (for 20 or more days);
• subfebrile temperature in adults (37-37.5 C) - a symptom of tuberculosis observed in a patient for a month or longer;
• soreness of medium intensity under the ribs, aggravated at the time of a deep breath;
• headache, irritability, sleep disturbances.

Often, starting in the lungs, the disease passes through the blood into the intestines, bones, and other internal organs.

The first stage of tuberculosis lends itself well to complex treatment, including the appointment of medications for the patient, special physical activity, daily walking, and the right diet.

Main symptoms

To determine when tuberculosis begins, it is necessary to distinguish between the main symptoms. The gradual progression of the disease leads to the appearance of:

• cough with blood, copious sputum;
• shortness of breath even after minor physical exertion;
• increased chest pain that does not stop at rest;
• wheezing, whistling in the lungs;
• enlargement of the lymph nodes;
• increase t of the patient's body;
• characteristic gleam in the eyes;
• blanching of the skin.

The "marble" skin of the patient is combined with a bright blush on the cheeks. Such a contrast is a classic sign of illness, conspicuous and clearly visible to others. Nocturnal hyperhidrosis in tuberculosis (excessive sweating) leads to the fact that in the morning a person wakes up wet, and his bed is soaked with sweat. A striking sign of the development of the disease is a rapid weight loss (up to 10-15 kg) with good nutrition. The reason why patients lose weight with tuberculosis is the intoxication of the body as a result of the active reproduction of Koch's bacillus.

How is tuberculosis diagnosed?

To find out if you really have, and what to do in this case, you will need to contact a medical facility. The first stage of diagnosis is the collection of an anamnesis, including a survey of the patient. The specialist asks questions to understand how the patient contracted tuberculosis. They concern the following:

1. Whether the person who applied to the doctor had TB before.
2. Were there cases of detection of the disease among his relatives, the closest environment.
3. Whether the patient was registered due to hypersensitivity to tuberculin.
4. When a person underwent the last Mantoux, fluorography of the lungs.
5. In what conditions does the patient live, does he have contact with people who have recently been released from prison, who have had a pulmonary disease.

After collecting this and other important information, the doctor proceeds to a thorough examination of the patient, conducting research. There are proven methods of how to identify tuberculosis. Tuberculin diagnostics using the Mantoux test becomes mandatory. A positive or negative reaction is evaluated after 3 days. It is useful to know by what signs tuberculosis is detected.

Extensive redness at the injection site (from 5 mm to 21 mm) becomes an indicator of the presence of an infection in the body. Also, this area is characterized by thickening of the skin, the release of infiltrate (accumulation of cellular elements with an admixture of blood, lymph).

If there is a positive response to the Mantoux reaction, a more detailed examination will be required. The main method for diagnosing tuberculosis is fluorography (tomography, fluoroscopy). Sputum samples, blood and urine tests are also carried out. In specialized medical institutions, such informative methods for diagnosing the disease as transthoracic needle biopsy, tracheobronchoscopy, bronchoscopic lavage, thoracoscopy (pleuroscopy) are available.

Sources of infection

The main sources of infection are sick people, mammals (large, medium-sized livestock). The greatest danger of infection exists during the period when the patient has an active form of the disease (isolation and spread of mycobacteria with sputum, urine, feces).

In order to prevent the infection and development of tuberculosis, it is necessary to proceed from the mechanisms of transmission of infection. Knowing this will allow you to avoid situations that are dangerous to your health.

You can become infected after:

• being in close proximity to the carrier of the disease;
• consumption of poorly processed foods (milk or meat of a sick animal);
• inhalation of dust and dried sputum particles containing Koch's bacillus (outside the body of the patient
• microorganisms are able to remain viable for up to 18 days);
• entry of the causative agent of the disease into a person through damage to the skin or mucous membranes.

It is useful to know how to understand that a stranger has tuberculosis, and to be able to protect yourself from infection. The simplest preventive measure would be to minimize contact or presence in the vicinity of individuals with a persistent cough. The probability of infection increases in the range of 2-9 m around the patient.

The possibility of infection by the alimentary route (during the use of animal products) is several times lower than by inhalation of mycobacteria in the air. It increases significantly when the patient neglects personal hygiene, and in the room where he stays, wet cleaning or current disinfection is not carried out.

At risk are such representatives of medicine as surgeons, dentists, pathologists. All of them regularly come into contact with the biomaterial of sick people. There is also the possibility of intrauterine infection with a tubercle bacillus - from women with a disseminated form, with a specific lesion of the placenta, pathological processes in the birth canal.

If the reader has experience in the treatment of tuberculosis or other important information regarding this disease, we suggest leaving a comment on this material. This can provide valuable assistance to other people who are faced with a dangerous problem.

A person can be a carrier of the causative agent of tuberculosis for years and be unaware of the presence of an infection. In some cases, the symptoms of the disease appear similar to the common cold. Therefore, in the early stages it is quite difficult to detect the presence of an ailment. In this material, we will try to find out how tuberculosis is determined, what methods of treatment should be resorted to to eliminate the problem.

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is an acute infectious disease caused by microscopic bacteria known as Koch's rods. The disease develops with a decrease in immunity, as a result of damage

Tuberculosis bacteria are most often transmitted from the carrier of the disease to a healthy person by airborne droplets, which leads to the deposition of the causative agent of tuberculosis in the lungs. Infection can also occur through household contact with bacteria, when the latter enter directly into the digestive tract.

The probability of infection is only 5% for a healthy person with good immunity. People with a weakened body are much more likely to become infected.

The risk group is young children and adolescents. Women under 35 years of age are much more likely to become infected with the causative agent of tuberculosis compared to young men.

Factors that contribute to the development of the disease

Among the risk factors it is worth noting:

1. Prolonged contact with objects on which the causative agent of the disease is located.
2. Frequent contact with a carrier of the disease.
3. Regular exposure to a dirty, unventilated, enclosed space.
4. Decrease in the protective functions of the body as a result of poor nutrition, constant stress, alcohol abuse and smoking, excessive physical exertion.

Signs of the development of the disease in the early stages

How to determine tuberculosis at home? If the disease proceeds in a latent form, it is extremely difficult to identify it in advance, since the course of the disease occurs without obvious signs. If you feel that something is wrong in the body, you should pay attention to the presence of the following symptoms:

• a strong feeling of fatigue without objective reasons;
• feeling of general physical or mental malaise;
• the presence of a weak appetite;
• a sharp weight loss with a plentiful, healthy diet;
• slight increase in body temperature.

Microscopic diagnostics

How to identify tuberculosis at an early stage? If the above symptoms are detected, it is worth contacting the hospital for taking a sputum smear. The composition of the obtained sample is examined under a microscope in the laboratory.

It is worth noting that negative test results do not always indicate the absence of an ailment. Quite often, the development of the disease at an early stage does not allow detecting microscopic bacteria in a sputum smear from the lungs. It is for this reason that in the presence of obvious ones, it is important to repeat the study after some time has passed.

Fluorography

How is tuberculosis defined? In the initial phase, a chest x-ray helps to identify the disease. In terms of prevention, experts recommend resorting to the procedure once a year. The resulting image allows you to see the foci of inflammation, to notice the first signs of bacterial damage to the lung tissue.

Sputum culture

The diagnostic method involves taking a sputum sample and then growing a culture of bacteria in the laboratory. How is tuberculosis determined by this method? Such an analysis can take several months, because during the tests, experts check the sensitivity of microorganisms in crops to the effects of various antibiotics. However, the study allows to identify the causative agent of the disease with high accuracy.

Sputum culture is also a good way to determine the resistance of a certain variety of Koch's bacillus to the effects of certain drugs. At the moment, there are no alternative research methods that would allow obtaining this information.

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis

If the infection of the body with the causative agent of the disease did not occur through airborne transmission of the infection, the development of an extrapulmonary form of tuberculosis is likely. In this case, the infection of the mucous membrane of the eyes, joints and bones, the gastrointestinal tract, the meninges, the central nervous system, and the urogenital area may occur.

How are shapes defined? The first signs of the development of such a disease are:

• sleep disturbance, general irritability as a result of exposure to the pathogen on the central nervous system;
• increased sweating due to mass tissue intoxication with pathogenic bacteria;
• unhealthy pallor, the manifestation of an uneven blush;
• a decrease in the level of leukocytes and erythrocytes in the blood, which is accompanied by the development of conditions characteristic of anemia.

How to determine tuberculosis in a child?

Detection of the disease in the early stages in children is part of the mandatory preventive program in educational institutions aimed at preventing epidemics. The main goal here is the identification of children who are at high risk. These categories include:

1. Children who have relatives, family, apartment contacts with infected people.
2. Infected, which has more than 6 mm in diameter.
3. Children who suffer from non-specific, chronic respiratory diseases.
4. HIV-infected.
5. Children who have not been vaccinated with BCG at an early age.

How to identify a child with tuberculosis? For this. in addition to hyperergic injection tests, fluorography methods are used from the age of 15. If there are obvious symptoms of the disease, sputum is cultured.

Finally

The initial stage of the development of tuberculosis is not easy due to the nature of the course of the disease. Symptoms of the disease can easily be confused with the symptoms of a common cold or flu. To avoid damage to the body by the causative agent of tuberculosis, do not forget about the factors that can lead to infection. It is necessary in terms of prevention to periodically resort to diagnostic procedures.

Especially high risks of getting sick with this disease in autumn and spring.

• You can get TB everywhere. It is enough that you have weak protective functions of the body and a patient with an open form of the disease sneezes on you. Then a huge amount of Koch sticks will enter your body.
• There is a high risk of getting this disease in people who have: the body will not be able to resist the infection.
• It greatly weakens the body of excessive and physical exertion.
• The most pleasant environment for the reproduction of bacteria is damp, dark, unventilated rooms. These include prisons, places for the homeless, hospitals and even rented apartments.
• Bad habits: alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking.
• Immunity to tuberculosis is reduced by drugs that are taken for lung diseases, as they saturate the body with toxins.

At increased risk are:

• Those who often come into contact with patients with "consumption";
• people who live in terrible sanitary conditions;
• those who live in countries where there are many people suffering from this disease (mainly Africa and Asian countries);
• people with weak immunity (especially HIV-infected and cancer patients);
• children;
• diabetics;
• those who are malnourished and often hypothermic;
• people who are treated with intravenous drugs.

Symptoms

Tuberculosis in the early stages is difficult to determine. All this because the symptoms can be very diverse. Sometimes even a therapist does not immediately recognize tuberculosis, but may confuse it with SARS. We list the most common first symptoms of the disease.

The very first signs of the disease, when a large amount of infection appears in the human body, will be:

• Reduced performance;
• fast fatiguability;
• weakness (even in the morning).

Infected children will experience a decrease in school performance, loss of appetite, and sleep disturbances. Often the temperature even rises, especially closer to the night. In the evening, a person may experience chills and heavy sweating.

With pulmonary tuberculosis, the primary symptom is a cough that does not go away for a long time. Initially it is dry, aggravated at night and in the morning. Further, the cough becomes wet and sputum begins to depart.

If blood appears in the sputum, this indicates a severe form of tuberculosis, which can later lead to pulmonary bleeding.

In such cases, immediate hospitalization of the patient is necessary. In addition to the above symptoms, there are other less common ones:

• The patient may experience pain in the shoulders, joints, under the breastbone, pallor, and even indigestion.
• Tuberculosis toxins can affect the heart, causing the heart to beat faster.
• The patient may also begin to complain of a headache and enlarged lymph nodes will be noticeable.
• Causeless weight loss, lack of appetite, shortness of breath and even mood swings can become a signal of the body.

It is important to know that symptoms do not appear all at once. Often one or two appear. Therefore, if you notice at least one of them, you should not put off going to the doctor on the back burner and self-medicate. Remember that the disease in the early stages is much easier and faster to cure.

Forms

Many people are mistaken when they think that there is only pulmonary tuberculosis. There are other types that have their own symptoms.

Pulmonary tuberculosis.

It manifests itself in the form of a prolonged cough, chest pain, increased sweating, shortness of breath, weight loss. If these symptoms appear, see a doctor immediately.

Tuberculosis of the nervous system.

It entails apathy, increased pressure, swelling of the brain and fatigue.

Tuberculosis of bones and joints.

It can be identified by increased bone fragility, joint pain, and even curvature of the spine.

Tuberculosis of the genitourinary system.

Can be easily confused with normal inflammation. Only a qualified doctor can diagnose it.

Tuberculosis of the intestine.

There is indigestion. There are frequent pains in the abdomen, diarrhea and bloating. This form of the disease is fraught with intestinal obstruction, as a result of which bleeding will begin.

Lupus.

Few people know that there is even skin tuberculosis. If you notice that the color of the skin has changed, “pustules” have appeared, the lymph nodes have enlarged, contact a dermatologist or phthisiatrician immediately.

Diagnostics

Tuberculosis can be correctly diagnosed only after a visit to a phthisiatrician. The most common and easiest way to identify the disease is the Mantoux test.

A person is given an injection in the arm and after 72 hours they look at the injection mark. The diameter is measured with a ruler. A deviation from the norm indicates that it is necessary to further examine the body more carefully.
In the diagnosis of tuberculosis, doctors and patients often resort to x-rays of the lungs. But this method is not always accurate, because in addition to lung disease, there are many other forms of illness.