Tuberculosis Flashcards
What bacteria causes tuberculosis?
mycobacterium tuberculosis.
What type of bacteria is mycobacterium tuberculosis?
Gram positive, acid fast (doesn’t stain), bacilli.
What is the stain used for mycobacterium tuberculosis?
It doesn’t stain with normal gram staining, so ziehl-neilson staining is used. The bacteria comes up as red on a blue background.
What is active TB and what is the outcome?
Active TB is active infection, the body can fight it off itself, you can get antibiotics or the body can produce spores with live infection inside them.
What is latent TB?
When the body has walled off active TB and it is kept at bay in spores.
What is secondary TB?
When latent TB is reactivated and escapes to become infectious again. Not everyone with latent TB will go on to develop secondary TB.
What is disseminated TB?
This is a severe infection where there is spreading of the TB all over the body. Also known as military TB.
What is the treatment for Active TB?
RIPE Rifampicin - 6 months Isonazide - 6 months Pyrazinamide - 2 months Ethambutol - 2 months
+ pyridoxine - vitamin B6 to combat peripheral neuropathy caused by isonazide
Why is piroxidine prescribed?
It is vitamin B6 - prescribed to reduce peripheral neuropathy side effects from isonazide.
What are the common side effects of the TB medications?
R - rifampicin - red and orange pissin (tears and urine)
I - isonazide - i’m numb inside (peripheral neuropathy)
P - Pyrazinamide - hyperuricaemia (gout)
E - ethambutol - colour blindness and reduced visual acuity.
What is the test for TB?
Mantoux test - injection of tuberculin, read after 72hrs, >5mm is considered a positive test.
What is the management for latent TB?
IT can just be left. In high risk patients you can use 3 months of rifampicin and isonazide.
What sort of vaccine is the BCG?
A live attenuated vaccine.
What is the presentation of TB?
chronic fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, erythema nodosum, cough (with or without haemoptysis), lymphadenopathy.
