Tuberculosis Flashcards
What is the name of the bacterial organism that causes tuberculosis (TB)?
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Define mycobacterium tuberculosis
An aerobic, non-spore forming bacillus that thrives in environments where the oxygen tension is relatively high
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is often referred as:
Acid-fast bacillus (AFB) because it resists decolorization by acid alcohol after staining with basic fuschin
Is replication of mycobacterium tuberculosis fast or slow?
Slow (very slow)
How is mycobacterium tuberculosis transmitted?
Through the air by aerosolized drop nuclei
- Cough
- Sneeze
- Speak
- Sing
(T/F) - Transmission of mycobacterium tuberculosis occurs through inanimate objects too
FASLE - does not occur
Who are most at risk for tuberculosis?
- Family household contacts
- Persons living or working in enclosed environments
- People with impaired immune systems
(T/F) - During latent infection of TB, patients are infectious
FALSE - not infectious
(T/F) - During latent infection of TB, patients are positive from the tuberculin skin test (PPD)
TRUE
(T/F) - During latent infection of TB, patients are asymptomatic without radiographic evidence of infection
TRUE
(T/F) - Patient who do not receive treatment during latent TB will develop active TB
TRUE
(T/F) - High risk of active TB is in the first 5 years
FALSE - first 2 years
What are the subjective findings of TB in a patient?
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Anorexia/weight loss
- Pleuritic pain
Is the cough productive or not productive in subjective findings?
Non-productive at first then becomes productive
What are the objective findings of TB in a patient?
- Nodular infiltrates
- Positive sputum smear of AFB
- Positive PPD skin test
- Anemia
- Leukocytosis
What could cause a PPD skin test to be a false positive?
Pts with hx of bacillus of Calmette-Guerin vaccine (BCG)
What is a definitive diagnosis of TB?
- Isolate M. tuberculosis from the site of the infection
- AFB smear are best obtained in the morning
- PPD test
At least how long should AFB smear tests should be taken?
At least 3 consecutive days
(T/F) - A negative AFB smear test rules out TB
FALSE - it does not rule out TB
(T/F) - PPDs have a false negative rate of 25%
TRUE
What is the cause of false negatives in PPDs?
Anergy
Define anergy
Decreased ability to respond to antigens
If anergy is suspected in a PPD skin test, what should be done furthermore?
Control skin tests should also be placed in contralateral arm
What treatment should be given in a patient who is suspected to have high clinical suspicion of active TB?
Rifampin (RIF), Isoniazid (INH), Ethambutol (EMB), and Pyrazinamide (PZA) for 8 weeks
Which of the 4 medications that are given initially would be given for an extra 18 weeks?
RIF and INH
What is the role in therapy of INH?
Potent ability to kill rapidly multiplying organisms during the initial phase of treatment
What is the MOA of INH?
Unknown; may affect cell wall
What are some main AEs of INH?
- Hepatitis
- GI Sx of hepatitis
- Peripheral neuropathy
- CNS reactions
- Allergic reactions
- Arthritic symptoms/SLE
- Dry mouth
- Psychoses
- Hemolytic anemia
- Agranulocytosis