TUBERCULOSIS Flashcards
(53 cards)
what is tuberculosis, TB?
a bacterial infection affecting the lungs.
how is TB spread?
spread from person to person through inhaling tiny droplets of coughs and sneezes of a infected person.
what are the 4 types of mycobacterium that cause TB collectively known as?
collectively known as Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Complex (Mtb).
What are the 4 types of mycobacterium that cause TB?
1) mycobacterium tuberculosis
2) mycobacterium bovis
3) mycobacterium africanum
4) mycobacterium microti
what are the 3 different types of tuberculosis?
1) primary TB
2) latent TB
3) re-activation TB
4) Pulmonary TB
5) extra-pulmonary TB
6) Miliary TB
7) Bovine TB
8) lymph node TB
9) GI TB
10) TB of bone and spine
what is primary TB?
describes the FIRST INFECTION with Mtb
what is latent TB?
= dormant M. tuberculosis infection that can reactivate decades after initial infection.
What role does the immune system have in TB?
- people who are first infected with M. tuberculosis
- the immune system contains the infection and the patient develops a cell mediated immune memory to the bacteria.
what is reactivation TB?
the majority of TB cases are due to reactivation of latent infections.
- the initial contact occurred many years or decades earlier.
what is pulmonary TB?
= active tuberculosis affecting the lungs
what are the symptoms of pulmonary TB?
- productive cough
- occasionally haemoptysis
Systemic symptoms;
- weight loss
- fever
- sweats
If there is laryngeal involvement;
- hoarse voice
- severe cough
If disease involves pleura;
- pleuritic chest pain
what is extra pulmonary TB?
= active tuberculosis affecting other organs
what is miliary TB?
= active tuberculosis spread by the blood throughout the body
What is bovine TB?
How is M. Bovis acquired?
What do people with M. Bovis presents with?
How is M. Bovis treated?
= tuberculosis caused by M. Bovis
Acquired form;
- ingesting infected cows’ milk
- farmers working with infected cows for over 3 years
- abattoir workers (manage slaughtered animals)
They present with;
- similar symptoms to ordinary TB in the chest
- but extra pulmonary sites of infection are common
- immunosuppression is a risk factor
Treatment;
- isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol
- resistance to pyrazinamide is common
what is lymph node TB?
= tuberculosis that affects the lymph nodes
what does lymph node TB do to the lymph nodes?
- causes SWELLING of lymph nodes
- lymph nodes are firm, non-tender enlargement of cervical or supraclavicular node.
what is GI TB?
= tuberculosis or infection that affects the peritoneum, hollow or solid abdominal organs and abdominal lymphatics
what are the risk factors for getting TB?
1) recent immigration
2) malnutrition
3) overcrowding or homelessness
4) immune defects
5) smoking & alcohol
what are the symptoms of TB?
- coughing that lasts a prolonged period of time
- haemoptysis
- chest pain, or pain when breathing or coughing
- unintentional weight loss
- fatigue
- fever
- night sweats
- chills
describe some different in features between latent and active tuberculosis infections.
LATENT;
- bacilli present in Ghon focus
- sputum smear & culture negative
- Chest X-ray normal
- asymptomatic
- not infectious to others
ACTIVE;
- bacilli present in tissues or secretions
- sputum commonly smears & culture positive
- Chest X-ray shows signs of consolidation
- symptomatic;
= night sweats
= fevers
= weight loss
= cough common
- infectious to others if bacilli detectable in sputum.
what are 3 things that allow you to diagnose TB?
1) stains
2) cultures
3) nucleic acid amplification
what 2 stains could be used to diagnose TB?
1) Auramine-rhodamine staining
2) Ziehl Neelson (ZN)
Out of these two stains;
- Auramine rhodamine and
- Ziehl Neelson
Which one is most used and why?
Auramine rhodamine is most commonly used.
Because;
- it is more sensitive than ziehl Nelson (ZN)
- but it is less specific
how do you treat TB?
- 6 months of treatment
= Two months of 4 drugs
= Four months of 2 drugs
