Symptoms, Types, causes & Spread
Symtoms
Symptoms of active TB disease: A person who has active TB disease has difficulty breathing, experiences coughing, and has chest pains for several weeks. They may also be coughing up blood and feeling weak/tired. If they are also experiencing fever night sweats and weight loss, a doctor may suspect Tuberculosis and as a result, will start diagnosis and treatments to help cure the bacterias.
Tuberculosis is a disease that mainly affects the lungs and respiratory system, but it is also able to spread to other areas of the body. When the mycobacteria has entered the lungs, the bacteria may move and spread to other parts of the body as well. These bacterias and germs can spread through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system which can affect the bones and joints, lymph nodes, the digestive system, the central nervous system, liver and/or the heart.
The first type is Latent TB. If an individual has latent TB, they are not sick at the moment because the bacteria has not been activated yet, but the TB bacteria has the ability to reactivate itself to cause serious infections and damage to the body.
The second type is called Active TB disease. When a person has active TB disease, the germs in the body are multiplying and can make the individual very sick. Additionally, the bacteria can spread to others around them which will cause more people to get infected. 90% of adults who have active TB are from the reactivation of a latent TB infection.
How Tuberculosis Is Spread Through The Body
Types Of Tuberculosis
Prevention Of Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis can be a very serious and dangerous disease that can kill many people. This is why it is extremely important to prevent yourself from getting infected by the bacterias. Here are some of the ways you can help prevent yourself from getting tuberculosis
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Improving the ventilation in indoor spaces, to decrease the number of germs and bacteria in the air
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Treating latent TB infection before it reactivates and becomes active TB
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Using ultraviolet lamps to kill airborne bacterias in places where people are at risk of tuberculosis
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Having plenty of vitamin D in your diet
