Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (popularly known as "TB") is a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is mainly infected
the lungs, although. to other organs
If someone with untreated TB coughs or sneezes, the air with droplets filled the bacteria. Inhalation this
infected droplets is the usual way a person gets TB.
One of the most feared diseases of the 19th Century, TB was the eighth leading cause of death in children 1 to 4 years
of age in the 1920s. Since the general standard of living and medical care in the United States improved, the incidence
reduced from TB. In the 1960s, it was not even in the top 10 causes of death in children of all ages.
But TB is making a comeback in the United States today - especially among the homeless, those in prison and those
rendered susceptible because of the HIV infection.
Signs and symptoms
In older infants and children, latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), the first infection with the tuberculosis
Bacteria, normally does not produce any signs or symptoms. In addition, a chest X-ray shows no signs of infection.
In most cases, only a tuberculin skin test (used to find out if someone has been infected with the TB bacteria)
is positive, indicating that the child was infected. Even if they do not show children with a positive tuberculin test,
Disease must receive medications usually.
This primary infection usually from alone as a child develops immunity over a 6 - to 10-week period. However, in some
Cases it can progress and around the lungs (so-called progressive tuberculosis) or spread to other organs. This causes
Signs and symptoms such as fever, weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite and coughing.
Another type of infection is called reactivation tuberculosis. Here the primary infection has resolved, but the bacteria
are dormant, or hibernating. When conditions become favorable (for example, due to lowered immunity), the bacteria
to be active.
Tuberculosis in older children and adults may be this guy. The most prominent symptom is a persistent fever, with
Sweating during the night. Fatigue and weight loss may follow. As the disease progresses and cavities in the lung,
the person may have cough and the production of saliva, mucus or phlegm, which may include blood.
Prevention
The prevention of TB depends on:
Avoiding contact with those who have active disease
with drugs as a preventive measure in high-risk cases
Maintaining good standard of living
New cases and potentially contagious patients are identified by the proper use and interpretation of the tuberculin skin test
Test.
A vaccine called BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) is considered controversial because it is not very effective in the countries
with a low incidence of TB. For this reason, BCG is not usually introduced into the United States. However, it may be considered
for children emigrating to countries where tuberculosis is common.
Contagiousness
Tuberculosis is contagious if it is the air and can be inhaled by others. In general, children are not considered
contagious, and usually get the infection from infected adults.
The incubation period (the time it takes for a person to become infected after being exposed) varies from weeks to years,
depending on the individual, and whether the infection is primary, or progressive reactivation TB.
Treatment
A doctor may recommend hospitalization for the first evaluation and treatment of TB, especially if:
the child is a young child
there are serious drug reactions
there are other diseases with TB
However, most children can be treated as outpatients with tuberculosis and cared for at home. The treatment is generally in the
The form of oral medications. In rare cases, three or four drugs are prescribed. Although treatment may take months to
to complete, it is extremely important that the full course of drugs that are taken to be cured of tuberculosis.
Time
Tuberculosis is a chronic disease that can persist for years if it is not treated.
When you call the doctor
Call the doctor if your child:
has been in contact with a person who is (or probably have) Tuberculosis
has persistent fever
complains of sweating at night
developed a persistent cough that does not respond to standard cough medications