Initial form of tuberculosis symptoms. How long does it take to treat tuberculosis?

The initial stage of tuberculosis usually occurs unnoticed by the patient. The symptoms are specific. You can notice the development of the disease at the first stage by tests, but not by sensations. This means that it is very important to have all routine medical examinations once or more times a year. Initially, pulmonary tuberculosis may resemble a common acute respiratory infection or bronchitis in symptoms. For any cough or deterioration in health, it is important to seek help from a doctor.

The development of tuberculosis occurs in several stages. Almost always, the infectious agent (Koch bacillus) affects the lungs; there are cases when the disease attacks musculoskeletal system, digestive and genitourinary systems, skin. When infected cells enter the bloodstream, they spread throughout the body, which greatly worsens the patient’s general condition.

The initial form of tuberculosis does not have pronounced symptoms. The disease can be recognized at an early stage only with the help of a fluorogram.

Signs of the development of tuberculosis may be:

Decreased performance. The initial stage of the disease is characterized by severe fatigue in the patient. It becomes difficult for a person to perform any physical activity. Even climbing stairs is difficult.
Nausea. It is especially worth paying attention if this symptom appears for no apparent reason in the morning. Nausea may cause loss of appetite.
Cough. This symptom is most characteristic of tuberculosis. It may start with coughing and sputum production. When manifested of this characteristic You should urgently seek help from a specialist.
Change in size (enlargement) of lymph nodes. Koch's bacillus, when it enters the human body, does not always immediately provoke the development of tuberculosis. The infectious agent can live in the body long time without any manifestation. The development and spread of mycobacteria in most cases is activated against the background of a general decrease in immunity.

Signs of the development of the disease cannot be ignored. The earlier tuberculosis is diagnosed, the faster you can get rid of it. The first stage of the disease is the easiest, both in terms of symptoms and treatment.

Experienced specialists establish the development of tuberculosis based on complete clinical picture.

Diagnosis of the disease includes:

survey. During a dialogue with a doctor, the patient usually tells himself what worries him. The specialist asks guiding questions about general condition patient, so that the picture of the development of the disease is clearer. The questions concern the patient’s lifestyle, whether he has chronic diseases whether he had contacts with people infected with tuberculosis, etc.;
inspection. The doctor determines the size of the lymph nodes in the throat by touch, armpits, on the stomach. Also conducts inspection skin for the presence of a pathological rash;
taking tests. For laboratory research They take samples of blood, urine, feces, sputum from the lungs, swabs from the throat, nose, genitourinary system, etc. The number and type of tests are prescribed by the doctor based on the patient’s medical history;
X-ray of the lungs. This stage is one of the most important. It is on X-rays that one can notice the early development of the disease without any other signs. Patients often find out that they have tuberculosis while undergoing routine routine examinations. medical commissions, which helps them in further treatment.

Every person should take care of their health. This helps not only save your life, but also the people around you. Tuberculosis – infectious disease, which is spreading quickly. Therefore, it is important to start treatment as early as possible so that other people are not affected as well.

There is a certain category of people who are infected with Koch's bacillus especially quickly. Those who are at risk should monitor their health more carefully and regularly undergo the necessary tests in order to identify tuberculosis in time and begin to treat it active struggle.

These include:

Patients with weak immunity. Usually these are the people who are suffering chronic diseases for several years. Every year the body's resistance to new infections becomes lower, which leads to such negative consequences.
Children. If there is a person at home who is already suffering from tuberculosis, even if it is a closed form, this is dangerous for children. The children need to find other housing. Especially if they have not yet reached the age of 3 years.
People with bad habits. Regular appointment alcoholic drinks, narcotic drugs, smoking severely injures the body, which also leads to a decrease in immunity and predisposition to infection with various infections, including Koch’s bacillus.

The first stage of tuberculosis development can occur in a child from birth. Therefore, in most maternity hospitals, such babies are diagnosed a few days after birth. Children are given special attention, as they are most susceptible to infection with mycobacteria.

The world around me is full various infections and viruses. But the human body is built in such a way that it can withstand them at the proper level. The main thing is to recognize the disease in time and begin an active fight against it. It is also important to know about the ways in which tuberculosis can be transmitted in order to protect yourself from infection.

The ways in which Koch's shelf penetrates the human body are:

airborne. You can catch the infection simply by communicating with an infected person. The likelihood of developing the disease will be very small if you healthy person good, stable immunity;
contact. Infection with tuberculosis by this method is extremely rare. But there are still cases of infection in everyday life, when a sick person and a healthy person use the same dishes, towels, etc.;
nutritional. Mycobacteria most often enter the human body through food. Therefore it is important raw foods wash well, others - heat treat;
hematogenous. Under no circumstances should syringes and bandages be reused. Tuberculosis is transmitted through blood. You can catch the disease through an unsterile medical instrument. For example, during dental treatment, childbirth, surgery other.

Tuberculosis is transmitted through the placenta from mother to child. It is unacceptable to have sexual relations with infected patients.

It is worth noting that tuberculosis is dangerous for surrounding people even during the incubation period. That is, the person himself may not yet realize that he is sick and infect everyone with whom he is in contact.

Treatment of the disease at the first stage of development is as follows:

Drug anti-infective therapy. The doctor prescribes the quantity and type of medications to take based on a complete diagnosis of the patient. The duration of treatment depends on individual characteristics the patient’s body, as well as his state of health before infection.
Immunostimulating therapy. To fight the disease, the patient needs strength, since pulmonary tuberculosis is treated for quite a long time, regardless of whether it is the initial stage of the disease or the last. The stronger the immune system, the faster the patient will recover.
Diet. Doctors recommend that infectious patients adhere to proper nutrition. Avoid fried, smoked and other harmful products, drink more water, eat fresh vegetables and fruits.
Healthy lifestyle. Treatment also involves giving up bad habits, healthy sleep and rest, daily walks on fresh air. Patients should also avoid any stressful situations so as not to provoke a malfunction of the nervous system.

The initial stage sometimes has more pronounced symptoms. These include - excessive sweating, shortness of breath with minor physical activity, pallor, constant feeling anxiety. The disease is treatable if the patient seeks treatment in time medical care. Ignoring the symptoms of the development of the disease leads to negative consequences, for example, such as lung and skin cancer.

Not a single folk method will help in the fight against tuberculosis, even if it is in the initial stage of development. In the fight against the disease, only comprehensive drug therapy, which is prescribed by a specialist and then carefully monitors its effect.

Since tuberculosis is quite contagious, every person needs to follow several rules to protect themselves.

Maintain personal hygiene. Koch's bacillus can be picked up anywhere, especially in crowded places - public transport and toilets, cinemas, supermarkets, etc. Therefore, you must always wash your hands with soap.
Do not contact people already infected with tuberculosis. In cases where there is a sick person in the family, take all precautions. It is necessary to provide him with a separate room, dishes, furniture, bed linen, constantly disinfect the premises, and wear a respiratory mask.
Get vaccinated. Anti-tuberculosis immunity in most people is developed in early age after BCG vaccinations. Almost every child is vaccinated in the maternity hospital, unless there are contraindications. Next, a schedule for repeated vaccinations is established.
Passage of planned medical examinations. Usually, those people who officially work are required to undergo a commission once a year and take a photo of their lungs. This is written in employment contracts. Unfortunately, people undergo such medical examinations in order not to lose their jobs, and not for the sake of their health.

According to statistics, 85% of tuberculosis patients had smoked for several years before becoming infected with Koch's bacillus. This means that this bad habit is a catalyst for the successful development of mycobacteria in the body. When smoking, normal ventilation of the lungs is disrupted, immunity is reduced, and it is difficult to remove sputum from respiratory system. Nicotine is best friend tuberculosis, so to prevent the disease you should quit smoking.

In the initial stages, the disease may present with symptoms similar to depression. The person feels a loss of strength, loses interest in work, loses a lot of weight, withdraws, reacts sharply to criticism, and becomes less talkative. All this indicates the presence of an infection in the body that affects the immune system and disrupts the functioning of the nervous system.

Against the background of tuberculosis, there are psychological problems, which are very difficult for the patient to cope with on his own.

To quickly improve your health and return to normal image life, it is necessary to consult a doctor in time, at the first signs of deterioration in health.

Usually, at the beginning of the disease, the first manifestations are mild, but subsequently gradually increase.

The initial stage of tuberculosis - symptoms of the disease

If you have the initial stage of tuberculosis, the symptoms will be as follows:

cough with sputum production that lasts more than 3 weeks,

elevated temperature(albeit insignificantly, but also for a long time),

sharp decline weight as a symptom initial stage tuberculosis,

loss of appetite,

increased fatigue as a symptom of the initial stage of tuberculosis.

There is an increase in irritability, mood swings, and decreased performance.

Please note that not all symptoms of tuberculosis will appear immediately, but only 1-2, and this will not necessarily be a cough.

If one or more of these symptoms of the initial stage of tuberculosis continue for more than 3 weeks and cannot be explained by other reasons, this should be a reason for you to contact experienced specialist, for examination for tuberculosis.

The initial stage of tuberculosis - more aggressive symptoms

Also, cases of more aggressive manifestation of tuberculosis symptoms are not uncommon: in such patients the body temperature reaches 38-39°C, pain appears in the area chest and shoulders, a dry, hard cough begins; sweating at night. In the evenings they are tormented severe chills and fever, the temperature increased slightly (from 37.6 to 38.1 ° C), the cough is not very strong, but constant, which some regard as a characteristic influenza virus.

Patients often complain of pain in the joints and under the shoulder blades (typically when tuberculosis spreads to the pleura);

Lethargic state;

Pallor;

Mild excitability;

Loss of appetite and persistent disorders digestion.

Diagnosis of the initial stage of tuberculosis

For tuberculosis, all of the above symptoms are typical and it seems that a diagnosis can be made, but not everything is so simple. Exists huge amount the most various types flu and ordinary inflammation of the lower respiratory tract, the symptoms will be exactly the same. On the contrary, very often the signs of tuberculosis are so mild that the initial stage of tuberculosis, in which the patient is easily treated, is not detected.

The latent course of the initial stage of tuberculosis can last a very long time, and only appear when the disease becomes severe or chronic. To prevent the appearance of such silent forms of the initial stage of tuberculosis, a fluorographic examination is carried out. But, nevertheless, everyone is obliged to monitor their health themselves, because in the interval between fluorographic examinations, tuberculosis can develop quite strongly. Therefore, if you suspect symptoms of the initial stage of tuberculosis, consult a doctor.

The disease tuberculosis has been known to mankind under the name consumption since ancient times. The disease was first described by the physician Hippocrates, who believed that it was genetic disease. Another ancient doctor, Avicenna, found that the disease can be transmitted from one person to another. In the 19th century, the German scientist Robert Koch proved infectious nature disease by discovering the mycobacterium that caused the disease. The causative agent of the disease, Koch's bacillus, is named after its discoverer. For his discovery the scientist received Nobel Prize.

Tuberculosis in our time is still one of the most common diseases in all countries of the world. According to WHO, many cases of tuberculosis infection are registered annually in the world - about 9 million. In Russia, 120,000 people become ill with tuberculosis every year. The mortality rate from infection in Russia is higher than in European countries.

So what is tuberculosis? How does a person become infected with tuberculosis, and is this disease always dangerous? What treatment is effective and can tuberculosis be completely cured? Let's look at these questions in detail.

What kind of disease is tuberculosis?

The causative agent of tuberculosis is Mycobacterium ( Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Tuberculosis is infectious disease. The most common route of transmission of tuberculosis is airborne. The tuberculosis bacillus is transmitted through contact during talking, sneezing, singing or coughing, as well as through household items. The immune system of a healthy person copes with the infection by destroying the Koch bacillus in respiratory tract. Too massive an infection or frequent contact with a sick person can cause illness even in a healthy person. In people with a weakened immune system, its cells are not able to destroy mycobacteria.

The incubation period of pulmonary tuberculosis is from 3 to 12 weeks. Symptoms of the disease during the incubation period include mild cough, weakness, slight increase temperature. During this period, the disease is not contagious. However, the absence of pronounced symptoms incubation period explains why tuberculosis is dangerous for the person infected. After all, mild symptoms are not noticeable special attention, they can be mistaken for a respiratory disease. If the disease cannot be recognized at this stage, it becomes pulmonary. The main cause of tuberculosis is low level quality of life. Crowding of people contributes to the spread of the disease, especially in prisons. Decreased immunity or concomitant diabetes mellitus promotes infection and its progression.

The first signs of tuberculosis

Signs of pulmonary tuberculosis on early stages vary depending on the form, stage and localization of the process. In 88% of cases, the infection takes a pulmonary form.

Symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis at an early stage of its development:

cough with phlegm for 2–3 weeks;
periodically elevated temperature up to 37.3 °C;
night sweats;
sudden weight loss;
presence of blood in sputum;
general weakness and loss of strength;
chest pain.

The initial manifestations of tuberculosis infection can be mistaken for any other disease. It is in the initial stage that the patient is dangerous to others. If the patient does not consult a doctor in a timely manner, the tuberculosis infection will progress and spread in the body. That is why it is so important to undergo annual fluorography, which will promptly identify the source of the disease.

Forms of tuberculosis according to clinical course

There are primary and secondary tuberculosis. Primary develops as a result of infection with Koch's bacillus in an uninfected person. The process most often affects children and adolescents. The manifestation of the disease in old age means activation of tuberculosis of the lymph nodes suffered in childhood.

In children, tuberculosis occurs in the form of the primary tuberculosis complex. IN infancy the process affects a lobe or even a segment of the lung. Symptoms of pneumonia include cough, fever up to 40.0 °C and chest pain. In older children, the lesions in the lung are not so extensive. The disease in the lungs is characterized by an increase in cervical and axillary lymph nodes.

The primary complex consists of 4 stages of disease development.

Stage I - pneumonic form. X-ray shows a small lesion in the lung, enlarged lymph nodes at the root of the lung.
Stage II of resorption. During this period it decreases inflammatory infiltrate in the lung and lymph nodes.
Next stage Stage III, it is manifested by compaction of residual lesions in lung tissue and lymph nodes. In these places, the X-ray image shows small pinpoint pockets of lime deposits.
In stage IV, calcification of the former infiltrate occurs in the pulmonary and lymphatic tissue. Such calcified areas are called Ghon lesions and are detected by fluorography.

The primary tuberculosis process in children and adults often occurs in chronic form. In this case, the active process in the lungs and lymph nodes persists for many years. This course of the disease is considered chronic tuberculosis.

Open and closed forms of tuberculosis infection

Open form of tuberculosis - what is it and how does it spread? Tuberculosis is considered open form if the patient secretes mycobacteria in saliva, sputum or secretions from other organs. Isolation of bacteria is detected by culture or microscopy of the patient's secretions. Bacteria spread through the air very quickly. When talking, the infection with saliva particles spreads over a distance of 70 cm, and when coughing it reaches up to 3 meters. The risk of infection is especially high for children and people with reduced immunity. The term “open form” is more often used in relation to patients pulmonary form diseases. But the release of bacteria also occurs during active tuberculosis process in the lymph nodes, genitourinary system and other organs.

Symptoms of open tuberculosis:

dry cough for more than 3 weeks;
pain in the side;
hemoptysis;
causeless weight loss;
enlarged lymph nodes.

A patient in open form is dangerous to everyone around him. Knowing how easily open tuberculosis is transmitted, in case of prolonged and close contact with a patient, you need to undergo examination.

If the bacteriological method does not detect bacteria, this is a closed form of the disease. Closed form of tuberculosis - how dangerous is it? The point is that laboratory methods Koch's bacillus is not always detected; this is due to the slow growth of mycobacteria in the culture for inoculation. This means that a patient who has no bacteria detected can practically excrete them.

Is it possible to become infected with tuberculosis from a patient with a closed form? With close and constant contact with a sick person, in 30 cases out of 100 you can become infected. In a patient with a closed form, the process in the lungs or any other organ can be activated at any time. The moment the process transitions into an open form is initially asymptomatic and is dangerous for others. In this case, closed form tuberculosis is transmitted, like open form, through direct contact during communication and through household items. Symptoms of the closed form of tuberculosis are practically absent. Patients with a closed form do not even feel unwell.

Types of pulmonary tuberculosis

Based on the degree of spread of tuberculosis, there are several clinical forms diseases.

Disseminated tuberculosis

Disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis is a manifestation of primary tuberculosis. It is characterized by the development of multiple lesions in the lungs. Infection in this form spreads either through the bloodstream or through lymphatic vessels and bronchi. Most often, mycobacteria begin to spread hematogenously from the mediastinal lymph nodes to other organs. The infection settles in the spleen, liver, meninges, bones. In this case, an acute disseminated tuberculosis process develops.

The disease manifests itself high temperature, severe weakness, headache, general serious condition. Sometimes disseminated tuberculosis occurs in a chronic form, then sequential damage to other organs occurs.

The spread of infection through the lymphatic tract occurs from the bronchial lymph nodes to the lungs. With a bilateral tuberculosis process in the lungs, shortness of breath, cyanosis, and cough with sputum appear. After a prolonged course, the disease is complicated by pneumosclerosis, bronchiectasis, and pulmonary emphysema.

Generalized tuberculosis

Generalized tuberculosis develops due to the spread of infection through the hematogenous route to all organs simultaneously. The process can occur in acute or chronic form.

The reasons for the spread of infection are different. Some patients do not comply with treatment regimen. In some patients it is not possible to achieve the effect of treatment. In this category of patients, the generalization of the process occurs in waves. Each new wave of the disease is accompanied by the involvement of another organ. Clinically, a new wave of the disease is accompanied by fever, shortness of breath, cyanosis, and sweating.

Focal tuberculosis

Focal tuberculosis lungs manifests itself small foci inflammation in the lung tissue. Focal appearance The disease is a manifestation of secondary tuberculosis and is more often detected in adults who suffered from the disease in childhood. The source of the disease is localized in the apices of the lungs. Symptoms of the disease include loss of strength, sweating, dry cough, and pain in the side. Hemoptysis does not always appear. The temperature during tuberculosis rises periodically to 37.2 °C. A fresh focal process is easily cured completely, but with inadequate treatment the disease takes on a chronic form. In some cases, the lesions level out on their own with the formation of a capsule.

Infiltrative tuberculosis

Infiltrative tuberculosis lungs occurs during primary infection and chronic form in adults. Are being formed caseous lesions, around which an inflammation zone forms. The infection can spread to the entire lobe of the lung. If the infection progresses, the caseous contents melt and enter the bronchus, and the vacated cavity becomes a source of formation of new lesions. The infiltrate is accompanied by exudate. At favorable course the exudate does not completely dissolve; in its place, dense strands of connective tissue. Complaints from patients with the infiltrative form depend on the extent of the process. The disease can be almost asymptomatic, but can manifest itself acute fever. The early stage of tuberculosis infection is detected by fluorography. In people who have not undergone fluorography, the disease develops into a widespread form. Possible death due to pulmonary hemorrhage.

Fibrous-cavernous tuberculosis

symptom of fibrocavernous tuberculosis - weight loss

Fibrous-cavernous pulmonary tuberculosis is formed as a result of the progression of the cavernous process in the lungs. With this type of disease, the walls of caverns (empty cavities in the lung) are replaced by fibrous tissue. Fibrosis also forms around the cavities. Along with caverns, there are foci of contamination. Cavities can connect with each other to form a cavity large size. The lung and bronchi are deformed and blood circulation in them is disrupted.

Symptoms of tuberculosis at the onset of the disease include weakness and weight loss. As the disease progresses, shortness of breath, cough with sputum, and temperature rise. The course of tuberculosis occurs continuously or in periodic outbreaks. It is the fibrous-cavernous form of the disease that is the cause fatal outcome. A complication of tuberculosis manifests itself in the formation pulmonary heart With respiratory failure. As the disease progresses, other organs are affected. A complication like pulmonary hemorrhage, pneumothorax may be the cause fatal outcome.

Cirrhotic tuberculosis

Cirrhotic tuberculosis is a manifestation of secondary tuberculosis. At the same time, as a result of the age of the disease, there are extensive formations fibrous tissue in the lungs and pleura. Along with fibrosis, there are new foci of inflammation in the lung tissue, as well as old cavities. Cirrhosis may be localized or diffuse.

suffer cirrhotic tuberculosis elderly people. Symptoms of the disease include cough with sputum and shortness of breath. The temperature rises as the disease worsens. Complications occur in the form of cor pulmonale with shortness of breath and bleeding in the lungs; they cause the death of the disease. Treatment consists of a course of antibiotics with sanitation bronchial tree. When the process is localized in the lower lobe, its resection or removal of a segment of the lung is performed.

Extrapulmonary types of tuberculosis

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis develops much less frequently. Suspect tuberculosis infection other organs is possible if the disease cannot be treated for a long time. According to the location of the disease, extrapulmonary forms of tuberculosis are distinguished, such as:

intestinal;
osteoarticular;
genitourinary;
cutaneous

Tuberculosis of the lymph nodes often develops during primary infection. Secondary tuberculous lymphadenitis can develop when the process is activated in other organs. The infection is especially often localized in the cervical, axillary and inguinal lymph nodes. The disease is manifested by enlarged lymph nodes, fever, sweating, and weakness. The affected lymph nodes are soft, mobile on palpation, painless. In case of complications, caseous degeneration of the nodes occurs, other nodes are involved in the process, and a continuous conglomerate is formed, fused to the skin. In this case, the nodes are painful, the skin over them is inflamed, a fistula is formed, through which the products of specific inflammation of the nodes are discharged. At this stage, the patient is contagious to others. If the course is favorable, the fistulas heal and the size of the lymph nodes decreases.

Young women 20–30 years old are more susceptible to tuberculosis of the female genital organs. The disease is often erased. Its main symptom is infertility. Along with this, patients are concerned about the violation menstrual cycle. The disease is accompanied by an increase in temperature to 37.2 °C and nagging pain lower abdomen. To establish a diagnosis, X-ray examination and culture of uterine discharge are used. The x-ray shows displacement of the uterus due to adhesive process, pipes with uneven contours. On overview photo Calcifications are found in the ovaries and tubes. Complex treatment includes several anti-tuberculosis drugs and is carried out for a long time.

Diagnostics

How to diagnose tuberculosis early stage? Initial and effective method diagnostics is carried out in the clinic during fluorography. It is performed for each patient once a year. Fluorography for tuberculosis reveals fresh and old foci in the form of infiltration, focus or cavity.

If tuberculosis is suspected, a blood test is done. Blood counts are very different when varying degrees severity of infection. With fresh lesions, neutrophilic leukocytosis with a shift to the left is noted. At severe form lymphocytosis and pathological granularity of neutrophils are detected. ESR indicators increased by acute period diseases.

An important method examination for the detection of Koch bacillus is sputum culture for tuberculosis. Mycobacteria are almost always detected in culture if a cavity is visible on the x-ray. With infiltration in the lungs, Koch's bacillus is detected by culture only in 2% of cases. A 3-fold sputum culture is more informative.

The test for tuberculosis is mandatory method when conducting mass diagnostics. The tuberculin test () is based on the skin reaction after intradermal injection of tuberculin in various dilutions. The Mantoux test for tuberculosis is negative if there is no infiltrate on the skin. With an infiltrate of 2–4 mm, the test is doubtful. If the infiltrate is more than 5 mm, then the Mantoux test is considered positive and indicates the presence of mycobacteria in the body or anti-tuberculosis immunity after vaccination.

Treatment

Is it possible to recover from tuberculosis and how long will it take to therapeutic measures? Whether the disease will be cured or not depends not only on the place of development infectious process, but also on the stage of the disease. Great value The success of treatment depends on the body's sensitivity to anti-tuberculosis drugs. These same factors influence how long the disease will take to be treated. If the body is sensitive to anti-tuberculosis drugs, treatment is carried out continuously for 6 months. At drug resistance Tuberculosis treatment lasts up to 24 months.

Modern scheme Treatment of tuberculosis infection involves taking a complex of drugs that have an effect only when used simultaneously. For drug sensitivity complete cure open form is achieved in 90% of cases. If treated incorrectly, an easily treatable form of infection turns into difficult-to-treat drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Complex treatment also includes physiotherapeutic methods and breathing exercises. Some patients require surgical treatment. Rehabilitation of patients is carried out in specialized dispensary.

Drug treatment is carried out according to a 3, 4 and 5 component scheme.

The three-component regimen includes 3 drugs: Streptomycin, Isoniazid and PAS (para-aminosalicylic acid). The emergence of resistant strains of mycobacteria has led to the creation of a four-drug treatment regimen called DOTS. The scheme includes:

"Isoniazid" or "Ftivazid";
"Streptomycin" or "Kanamycin";
"Ethionamide" or "Pyrazinamide";
"Rifampicin" or "Rifabutin".

This scheme has been in use since 1980 and is used in 120 countries.

The five-component regimen consists of the same drugs, but with the addition of the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin. This regimen is more effective for drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Medical nutrition

Nutrition for pulmonary tuberculosis is aimed at restoring body weight and replenishing the lack of vitamins C, B, A and minerals.

The diet for tuberculosis includes the following categories of products.

Required increased amount proteins due to their rapid breakdown. Easily digestible proteins found in dairy products, fish, poultry, veal and eggs are preferred. Meat products you need to boil, stew, but not fry.
Healthy fats recommended to be obtained from olive, butter and vegetable oil.
Carbohydrates contained in any foods (cereals, legumes). Honey is recommended flour products. Easily digestible carbohydrates are found in fruits and vegetables.

Food should be high in calories and served freshly prepared. The diet consists of 4 meals a day.

Prevention

The main means of preventing tuberculosis is vaccination. But besides this, doctors recommend:

lead a healthy and active lifestyle, including walks in the fresh air;
consume foods containing fats of animal origin (fish, meat, eggs);
do not eat fast food products;
consume vegetables and fruits to replenish the body with vitamins and minerals that support immune system;
To prevent infection, young children and older people should not have close contact with the sick person. Even short-term contact with a sick person in an open form can cause them to become infected.

Vaccination

Prevention of tuberculosis in children and adolescents comes down to preventing infection and preventing the disease. The most effective method of preventing tuberculosis is vaccination. The first vaccination against tuberculosis is carried out in the maternity hospital for newborns on days 3–7. Revaccination is done at 6–7 years of age.

What is the tuberculosis vaccine called? Newborns receive a gentle vaccine against tuberculosis BCG-M. Vaccination during revaccination is done BCG vaccine.

As a result, we come to the conclusion that tuberculosis is a common infection and poses a danger to everyone around us, especially to children and people with reduced immunity. Even patients with a closed form are potentially dangerous to others. Tuberculosis is dangerous due to its complications and often ends in death. Treatment of the disease requires a lot of time, patience and money. A severe and debilitating disease deprives a person of their quality of life. The best measure to prevent the disease is vaccination.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by mycobacteria. The disease is characterized by damage to the lungs, skin, bones, kidneys and other organs. The causative agent of the disease is distinguished by its survivability and resistance to damaging environmental factors.

Symptoms and developmental features

The disease occurs in several stages. Very important on initial stage. The prognosis of the disease directly depends on this.

The earlier the diagnosis is made and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis is started, the greater the chances of speedy recovery without developing complications and infecting fewer people.

Mycobacteria, isolated even at the initial stage of the disease, successfully survive outside the body and infect large number people.

You can become infected with tuberculosis in several ways:

Airborne: when communicating with a sick person;
Contact and household: things and objects that were used by a person with tuberculosis retain mycobacteria for up to several days;
Nutritional: when eating contaminated foods.

However, mycobacteria that enter the body are not always contagious and can lead to the development of tuberculosis.

The disease develops mainly against the background of decreased immunity, or in the case of individual sensitivity to the pathogen. Children are at risk younger age, people eating low protein foods, as well as the HIV-infected population. Pulmonary tuberculosis poses the greatest danger to this category of people.

Initial, or primary tuberculosis, develops immediately after mycobacteria enters the human body. As a rule, this is pulmonary tuberculosis.

However, symptoms are almost always present; a person may just for a long time ignore them:

An experienced specialist, based on clinical picture data and x-ray examination, will be able to deliver correct diagnosis without difficulty. If there are doubts when making a diagnosis, they may be prescribed additional examinations and laboratory tests.

Specifics of treatment

Treatment of tuberculosis at the initial stage differs from therapy at later stages in the duration and dosage of prescribed medications. Treatment for tuberculosis is sufficient difficult task. Tuberculosis, the initial stage of which may not manifest itself for years, is preferably treated in a hospital.

Usually, after identifying the disease, the attending physician decides to hospitalize the patient during the first two months of the disease. This measure is necessary to prevent the spread of the disease and infection contact persons. This first stage is the most important in treating the disease. It is necessary to undergo treatment strictly following all doctor’s recommendations, regardless of the stage of tuberculosis.

So, how long is pulmonary tuberculosis treated at the initial stage with timely diagnosis And adequate therapy? As a rule, treatment of tuberculosis at the initial stage lasts about six months, but in some cases treatment can take up to two years. Important for determining the duration of treatment is immune status patient and social level his life.

Drug treatment

Tuberculosis in any form and stage is treated with the use of antibacterial anti-tuberculosis drugs. The most commonly used combination of the following drugs:

Streptomycin.

The drugs have bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect for mycobacteria. Antibacterial therapy prescribed in long-term constant or intermittent courses. Dosages of anti-tuberculosis drugs are selected strictly individually, taking into account contraindications and the possibility of developing characteristic adverse reactions. Tuberculosis at an early stage, as a rule, can be easily cured with the above drugs, leaving virtually no consequences. Treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis with these drugs usually lasts up to six months.

If there is a danger of tuberculosis becoming next stage, include fluoroquinolone drugs. Typically these are Levofloxacin, Lomefloxacin and Ofloxacin.

The drugs have a bactericidal effect on the pathogen and make it possible to stop the infectious-inflammatory process, preventing its progression. Before starting treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs, it is advisable to test the body's sensitivity to them. This will allow you to accurately select medicine and achieve high efficiency therapy.

Medical nutrition

In addition to pharmacological therapy for tuberculosis, the patient’s nutrition during the treatment period is important. There are several options for the diet of tuberculosis patients. The choice of diet depends on the activity of the infectious process in the patient’s body and his condition. Usually for therapeutic nutrition At an early stage of the disease, it is determined how exhausted the body is, and one of three options is prescribed:

The quality of nutrition in this disease is of great importance for the patient’s recovery. Only a combination of rational pharmacotherapy and quality nutrition can lead to full recovery. Meals should be high-calorie, regular, fortified and varied.

The list of foods that a patient must eat is quite wide:

all types of meat;
dairy and fermented milk products;
fish in various forms;
all cereals;
Be sure to have fresh vegetables and fruits.

Tuberculosis has always been and remains a serious problem for many. Previously, it was believed that only disadvantaged sections of the population were susceptible to the disease. Today we can say with confidence that anyone can become infected with the infection, regardless of their social status. That's why important has early detection disease and quickly prevent its further spread.