Tuberculosis or TB is a disorder of the lungs that is caused by a micro bacterial infection. The illness is a fast spreading communicable disease and its most common symptoms include a heavy cough, with streaks of blood in the sputum. fever, weight loss and sweating during the nights are other common symptoms of a person suffering with tuberculosis. At times, however, tuberculosis is capable of attacking the intestines, resulting in a condition known as intestinal tuberculosis. The most common symptoms of intestinal tuberculosis are diarrhea, intestinal bleeding, and excruciating stomach aches.
Tuberculosis is often passed from person to person through cough droplets that contain the bacterial microbes of the illness. When an infected person coughs and the germs from the droplets enter the body of a healthy person, there are high percentages of the healthy person contracting the illness. The illness usually takes about six weeks to develop into the primary stage. Following this, it enters the blood stream and affects the body rapidly. Patients who are suffering from tuberculosis should be kept isolated till the time that they are cleared of the illness. In most cases, however, a few of the microbes remain in the body and will rear up when immunity is low, causing a relapse of the condition, which is not good.
The treatment for tuberculosis involves the consumption of antibiotic drugs that are prescribed by a medical practitioner. In the event that these drugs are not taken regularly or according to the prescription, there is a chance that the body will develop immunity to the drugs being administered. Immunity of the body to the drugs being administered causes further complications, because the healing process is retarded and the chances of the spread of the illness are increased. It is always advisable to stay away from people who are known carriers of the infection. Similarly, if you know of anyone who suffers from tuberculosis, advise the person on seeking medical assistance. Eating well, exercising regularly and getting enough sunshine and fresh air are the best methods of keeping your body free from tuberculosis. If there is a need to travel to a country where tuberculosis is a common illness, it is advisable that you get yourself vaccinated against the illness before traveling. If you have developed a cough that lasts for more than three weeks, it is always advisable to get yourself checked by a medical professional.
answered by G M