Tuberculosis
What is tuberculosis (TB)?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial disease that usually attacks the lungs. But it can also attack other parts of the body, including the kidneys, spine, and brain.
Not everyone infected with TB bacteria (germs) becomes sick. So, there are two types of TB conditions:
- Inactive (latent) TB infection, where the TB germs live in your body but don't make you sick.
- TB disease (active TB) where you get sick from the TB germs. TB disease can almost always be cured with antibiotics. But if it's not treated properly, it can be fatal.
TB is found in the U.S., but it is more common in certain other countries.
What causes tuberculosis (TB)?TB is caused by bacteria (germs) called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The germs spread from person to person through the air. People who have TB disease in their throat or lungs spread the germs in the air when they cough, sneeze, talk, or sing. If you breathe in the air that has the germs, you can get TB.
TB is not spread by touching, kissing, or sharing food or dishes.
You're more likely to catch TB from people you live or work with than from people you see for shorter amounts of time.
Who is more likely to get infected with tuberculosis (TB) germs?Anyone who is near a person with TB disease can get infected with the germs. You are more likely to be near someone with TB disease if you:
- Were born in or often travel to countries where TB disease is common
- Are a health care worker
- Work or live in a place where TB is more common, such as shelters for people without homes, jails, and nursing homes
Certain people are more likely to get sick with TB disease after they get infected. They include people who:
- Have HIV
- Became infected with TB in the last 2 years
- Have other diseases, such as diabetes, that make it hard for your body to fight TB germs
- Have alcohol use disorder (AUD) or inject illegal drugs
- Were not treated correctly for TB in the past
- Are under age 5
- Are an older adult
- Take medicines that weaken the immune system, such as medicines taken after an organ transplant, steroids, and specialized treatments for certain autoimmune diseases
Most people who have TB germs in their bodies don't get sick with TB disease. Instead, they have inactive TB infection. With an inactive TB infection, you:
- Don't have symptoms
- Can't spread TB to others
- Could get sick with active TB disease in the future if your immune system becomes weak for another reason
- Need to take medicine to prevent getting sick with active TB disease in the future
If you have TB disease, the TB germs are active, meaning that they are growing (multiplying) inside your body and making you sick. If the TB is growing in your lungs or throat, you can spread the TB germs to other people. You can get sick with TB disease weeks to years after you're infected with TB germs.
With TB disease, your symptoms will depend on where the TB is growing in your body:
- General symptoms may include:
- Chills and fever
- Night sweats (heavy sweating during sleep)
- Losing weight without trying
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness or fatigue
- Symptoms from TB disease in your lungs may include:
- A cough that lasts longer than 3 weeks
- Coughing up blood or sputum (a thick mucus from the lungs)
- Chest pain
Your health care provider or your local health department can test you to find out if you have TB germs in your body. They will give you either a TB skin or blood test.
If your test shows that you have TB germs, you'll need to have other tests to see if the germs are actively growing:
- Tests for TB disease in the lungs usually include testing samples of your sputum and having chest x-rays.
- Tests for TB disease in other parts of your body may include tests of urine and tissue samples.
You may need a TB test if you have symptoms of TB disease or if you are at high risk because you are more likely to be near someone with TB disease.
People who have HIV also need to get tested for TB. HIV weakens your immune system. So if you have both HIV and inactive TB, the TB can quickly become active TB disease. You will need treatment for the inactive TB as soon as possible to prevent active TB disease.
What is the treatment for tuberculosis (TB)?The treatment for both inactive TB infection and TB disease is antibiotics. To make sure you get rid of all the TB germs in your body, it's very important to follow the directions for taking your medicine.
If you don't follow the directions, the TB germs in your body could change and become antibiotic resistant. That means the medicine may stop working and your TB may become hard to cure.
- For inactive TB infections, you need to take medicines for three, four, six, or nine months, depending on the treatment plan. Treatment helps make sure you don't get TB disease in the future.
- For active TB disease, you usually need to take medicines for four, six, or nine months, depending on the treatment plan. Treatment will almost always cure you if you take your pills the right way.
- For TB disease in your lungs or throat, you'll need to stay home for a few weeks, so you don't spread disease to other people. You can protect the people you live with by:
- Covering your nose and mouth.
- Opening windows when possible.
- Not getting too close to them.
- For drug-resistant TB disease, which means that the TB germs are resistant to certain TB medicines, you will need to take special medicines. Treatment may take a long time, sometimes months or years. The medicines can cause side effects. Your provider will closely monitor your treatment to make sure the medicines are working.
By following medical advice for TB testing and treatment, you can keep yourself healthy and help stop the spread of TB.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Tuberculosis FDA Approved Drugs
- Treatment of pulmonary multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.
Felter's Materia Medica on Tuberculosis
The dried gummy exudate of Acacia Senegal, Willdenow; and of some other African species of Acacia. (Nat. Ord. Leguminosae.) Eastern Africa... / ...o suspend heavy and insoluble powders. When the stomach is irritable in low fevers and in pulmonary tuberculosis, a half ounce of acacia may be dissolved in 5 fluidounces of water, sweetened with suga... / ...by irritant and corrosive poisons. Acacia may be given freely and at pleasure, in the form of owder, troches, mucilage, or syrup, as desired. 1
The (1) dried root and the (2) dried leaves and tops of Atropa Belladonna, Linné (Nat. Ord. Solanaceae). Europe and Central Asia; also... / ..., and in neuralgia, chronic rheumatism, lumbago, myalgia, pleurodynia, the chest pains of pulmonary tuberculosis, and in acute mastitis. In many of the surface conditions mentioned the plaster may pro...1
...th echinacea, has been reinvestigated and advised as a potent drug for its influence upon pulmonary tuberculosis. This work is still in the experimental stage, but with promise at least of amelioratio...... received with judgment, and not too much hoped for until more complete knowledge of its power over tuberculosis is proved or disproved. The value of the drug, internally administered, so far as ameli...1
The whole herb Lycopus virginicus, Linné (Nat. Ord. Labiatae). Common in shady, moist and boggy places throughout the United States. Dose, 1 to... / ...and we believe it will do as much as a medicine can do to stay the distressing ravages of pulmonary tuberculosis. When established it aids in relieving cough, pain, fever and the rapid and excited hea... / ...in simple diarrhea (lientery), dysenteric diarrhea, and especially in the diarrhea of phthisis, and the gastric disturbances of the drunkard.1
Menthol. A secondary alcohol obtained from the oil of Mentha piperita, Linné, or from other oils of mints. It should be kept in well-stoppered... / ...nd hay fever, or may be sprayed into the larynx for the relief of the distressing pain of laryngeal tuberculosis. An albolene spray of menthol is largely employed in inflamed and irritable conditions ... / ...is sometimes of value in hiccough. It should not be used in large doses internally because of the profound nervous disturbances it may occasion.1
The lichen Sticta Pulmonaria, Linné (Nat. Ord. Lichenes). Found upon tree trunks and rocks in England and the eastern United States, mostly in... / ...ed in the reduction of fever, and checked chills and night sweats, thus giving comfort in pulmonary tuberculosis. Sick headache, acute catarrhal disorders, whooping cough, summer colds, etc., accompan... / ...is increased by taking a deep breath, and feels like that arising from a bruise or muscular overexertion.1
Physician's Materia Medica on Tuberculosis
Antiseptic, germicide, analgesic. Used to relieve nausea, in treatment of tuberculosis and locally as a remedy for toothache. Dose, 0.03 to 0.30 c. c. (1/2 to 5 M), or more.2
Creosote Iodide, a chemical combination of Iodine with the Guaiacol, Creosol and analogous bodies which are constituents of Beechwood Creosote. It is alterative and antiseptic, exerting a favorable influence over nutrition in wasting diseases. Wherever Iodine or Iodides are indicated, Creosotide may be prescribed. In incipient tuberculosis, it causes a gain in weight and a general improvement in symptoms. It has proved of value especially in the treatment of glandular enlargements, ofscrofulou2
Theroot of INULA HELENIUM, Lin. Tonic expectorant, dis cutient, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, Said to have a bactericidal action which explains its usefulness in pulmonary tuberculosis, diph_ theria and whooping cough.2
Contains arsenic, and accordingly is alterative and germicidal although scarcely poisonous. Used in tuberculosis, obstinate psoriasis, glycosuria and pseudo-leukemia. Dose, 0.06 to 0.30 Grm. (1 to 5 grs.).2
Used as is Cinnamic Acid in tuberculosis as a germicide. Dose, 0.02 to 0.06 Grm. (1/3 to 1 gr.), in 5 per cent. solution, injected twice a week.2
Physician's Therapeutics Memoranda on Tuberculosis
In Pulmonary Tuberculosis pure fresh air is the most important remedy. Let the patient live out of doors if possible, best in an equable climate. Cod Liver Oil is ......oms as they arise on general principles. The cough may often be relieved by cannabis indica or by heroine, hydrocyanic acid and chloroform. Laryngeal Tuberculosis may be treated by insufliations of Iodosyl or iodoform, and local application of lactic acid solution (10%) Pre ceded by cocaine as an an...2
References
2) Nelson, Baker & Co., 1904, Physician's Handy Book of Materia Medica and Therapeustics, Detroit, Michigan.