Distinctive symptoms of early stage tuberculosis in adults

Tuberculosis is one of the most dangerous viruses. Every year, millions of men and women become ill with this disease. The infection is caused by rather rare microbacteria that form several foci of inflammation in the infected tissues. The body gradually weakens, and the first signs of the disease appear. It is very important to identify the symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis in the early stages of the disease. In this case, the treatment period will take less time, and your body systems and organs will be able to recover without problems.

Causes of tuberculosis

Tuberculosis in adults is most often transmitted by airborne droplets. In some cases, the virus can enter the body through milk (for example, from an infected cow). The causative agent of the disease Koch's bacillus , was discovered at the end of the nineteenth century. During this period of time, this disease was the main cause of death for patients. The virus mainly affects the lungs, but other organs of the body can sometimes be affected.

Men and women who suffer from HIV infection are very often infected with tuberculosis. Diabetics may also be affected. The disease actively develops in people who use alcohol, drugs and tobacco.

If you have a strong enough immune system, then you are not afraid of this disease. Try to eat right, maintain good hygiene, recover well and not overexert yourself. It is also recommended to do preventive examinations annually.

Forms of tuberculosis

Many people are interested in the important question of how this disease manifests itself. With pulmonary tuberculosis, an adult can develop one of several forms of the virus. It is very important to determine the type of disease. Thus, the doctor will prescribe the most correct method of treatment and prevention of the painful condition.

Open form

In the open form of the disease, the patient transmits the disease by coughing, talking and spitting. The virus can remain on a variety of household items for quite a long period of time. All family members are at risk. It is recommended to undergo treatment in a hospital.

Closed form

The most “popular” type of disease. The virus is not transmitted through the air; identifying this disease is quite problematic. In some cases, the closed form develops into more complex varieties. To determine an accurate diagnosis, men and women most often donate blood for examination. It is difficult to detect characteristic symptoms on x-rays and sputum analysis.

Main classification of the disease

Pathology is divided into five classes:

1. Exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, absence of clinical signs of infection. First class individuals have a history of exposure but a negative reaction to the tuberculin skin test. If significant exposure has been observed within 3 months, a 10-week skin test should be performed, and in the intervening period, treatment for latent disease should be considered, especially for children under 15 years of age and persons with AIDS.
2. Latent infection, absence of disease. Individuals in class 2 have a positive tuberculin skin test, negative bacteriological tests, and no clinical, bacteriological or radiological evidence of active tuberculosis. Some people in this group may benefit from treatment for latent TB infection.
3. Tuberculosis is not clinically active. This class is defined by a history of a previous episode of pathology, persistent abnormal radiographic findings in an individual with a positive tuberculin skin test, negative bacteriological studies, and a lack of clinical and/or radiographic evidence of current disease.
4. Suspected tuberculosis. Individuals should be classified in this class at the time of diagnosis, regardless of whether treatment has been initiated or not. People cannot stay in this class for more than 3 months. When diagnostic procedures are completed, the person should be assigned to one of the previous groups.
5. Includes all patients with an active process for which diagnostic procedures have been completed. To qualify for the group, a person must have clinical, bacteriological and/or radiological evidence of current pathology. The patient remains in class 3 until treatment for the current episode of illness is completed.

Form of pathology:

• pulmonary;
• pleural;
• lymphatic;
• osteoarticular;
• genitourinary;
• widespread (miliary);
• meningeal;
• peritoneal;
• another.

Bacteriological status

• negative;
• not done.

Chest X-ray results

• normal;
• pathological.

Skin reaction to tuberculin:

• positive;
• negative.

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The first signs of tuberculosis

Signs of tuberculosis in adults may not appear immediately. The length of the incubation period (the time from infection with the virus until the first noticeable symptoms appear) can vary depending on several factors. Very often, the signs of pulmonary tuberculosis in the early stages are mistakenly confused with ARVI, and the real cause of the disease can only be detected during routine fluorography.

The incubation period most often lasts from three months to one year. At this time, the immune system tries to actively resist the virus. At first, the lion's share of microbacteria die, and the disease itself does not progress. After a few weeks, the immune system fails, and the Koch bacillus begins to spread throughout the body. It enters the bloodstream, and the active phase of the inflammatory process begins in a person. It is during this period that the initial signs of tuberculosis can be seen in the early stages. Pay attention to the main early symptoms:

1. general weakness of the body is felt, performance and strength indicators sharply decrease;
2. the body gets tired very quickly, you constantly want to sleep;
3. the process of sweating is disrupted, the patient regularly wakes up at night with a wet T-shirt;
4. There is a systematic and causeless rise in temperature to 37.5 degrees.

Apathy and loss of interest in the world around us are another fairly popular sign of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults. Patients often have pale skin and a painful blush on their cheeks.

Many people are interested in the question of what cough is like with tuberculosis. The answer is quite simple - it must be wet. If you have been complaining about a similar cough for quite a long time, consult a specialist. It is necessary to start treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis at an early stage as quickly as possible. Those infected may also have enlarged lymph nodes.

Pay attention to your appetite; in patients it decreases very quickly. The first characteristic sign of tuberculosis in children and adults is sudden weight loss and prolonged cough. Diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis is a rather responsible process. If you have more than one symptom in your body, make an appointment with your healthcare provider. He will be able to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.

Specifics of the disease and incubation period

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that develops as a result of entry into the body of a pathogen - Koch's bacillus. The bacterium spreads throughout the body through the bloodstream, choosing a target for itself. Lesions may form in the lungs or other internal organs. If a person has a strong immune system, he can resist infection in the respiratory tract and infection can be avoided. A weakened immune system does not produce the required amount of antibodies.

Tuberculosis occurs in 4 stages - from initial to severe (open). In its advanced form, it poses a danger not only to the life of the carrier of the bacterium, but also to others. The tuberculosis bacillus enters the environment when coughing or sneezing. It can exist outside the human body because it is resistant to temperature changes and exposure to sunlight. At the last stages of development, the infection leads to the destruction of the organ in which it was localized.

Stages of development of tuberculosis

The incubation period is a time period, the beginning of which coincides with the moment of penetration of tuberculosis infection into the body, and its end with the appearance of the first symptoms. For some time, the infection does not show any signs of pathological development. The incubation period can last up to 12 months. In most cases, the first symptoms of the disease appear 6-7 weeks after the bacteria enter.

In medical practice, a case was recorded when the disease manifested itself 3 years after infection.

During this time, the body produces antibodies that try to neutralize the activity of the infection. When the immune system weakens, the disease begins to progress. At the same time, the Mantoux test often does not show a positive result, so diagnosis is difficult.

Tuberculosis is dangerous because the onset of the disease is practically asymptomatic. If it was not possible to detect the disease at the first stage, it becomes a pulmonary form.

Symptoms of tuberculosis at an early stage

The first symptoms of tuberculosis in the early stages gradually develop into more complex forms. The symptoms of this virus at the next stage are more pronounced. Patients may complain of the following problems:

1. coughing turns into a strong cough, which sometimes produces sputum;
2. shortness of breath. A person cannot take a full breath of air. Oxygen deficiency is especially acute after vigorous physical activity;
3. characteristic dry or moist wheezing appears in the pulmonary zone, which can be detected in various manifestations;
4. constant increase in body temperature, which can reach 38 degrees;
5. a characteristic shine is observed in the eyeballs, the whole body turns pale;
6. the patient loses a large amount of muscle and fat mass.

Coughing up blood and the occurrence of acute painful sensations when inhaling are the most dangerous symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults. It is very difficult to treat the disease at this stage. The patient is recommended to be hospitalized. Foci of the disease rapidly affect various organ systems, and the musculoskeletal system may also be affected.

In some cases, late-determined first signs of tuberculosis develop into complications of varying degrees. Uncontrolled bleeding in the lungs is often the cause of death. The heart can also stop as a result of spontaneous pneumothorax. A large amount of oxygen enters the pleural cavity. Heart failure can occur due to the accumulation of mucus in certain places.

Areas affected by tuberculosis

Tuberculosis also affects many other organs. Several types of illness are quite common.

There are two forms of bronchial tuberculosis (infiltrative, fistulous and ulcerative). Patients complain of uncontrollable coughing attacks and chest pain. Brain tuberculosis is considered one of the most serious and dangerous forms. The virus attacks the central nervous system. It is very important to start the treatment process on time

Tuberculous lupus affects the skin of a person’s face; with scrofuloderma, characteristic purulent ulcers appear between the neck and chest. During the warty form of tuberculosis, the patient’s hands suffer. The genitourinary system (pay attention to the presence of blood in the urine or disruption of the female cycle), vision and digestion may also be affected.

Signs by type of disease

Tuberculosis takes extrapulmonary forms and affects the internal organs of a person. It is classified depending on its location. There are the following types of tuberculosis with the following symptoms:

1. Bones and joints. Such localization of the disease in question almost never causes difficulties in diagnosis. The discs between the vertebrae become deformed, causing compression and the formation of a hump. The knee and hip joints are also affected, leading to arthritis and bone pathologies. As a result, a person cannot climb stairs or walk several meters without assistance.
2. Genitourinary system. A complex of symptoms of urological disorders appears: bloody impurities are observed in the urine, pain is felt in the lumbar region and ovaries. For females, the manifestation of this pathology is dangerous due to the inability to conceive, and for males - the development of varicocele and a space-occupying formation in the scrotum.
3. Skin. Characteristic is the development of dense nodular formations under the skin, which increase in size as the disease progresses. When the nodules are opened, discharge in the form of a white curd mass is observed.
4. Nervous system. Central nervous system lesions are diagnosed in young children and HIV patients. Symptoms include migraines, mental disorders, epilepsy, tinnitus, poor coordination, eye pathologies, short-term fainting and sometimes seizures.
5. Gastrointestinal tract organs. Accompanied by general signs of tuberculosis with disturbances in the digestive process, discomfort in the intestines and bloody stools.
6. Kidney. Symptoms manifest as nephritis, but may be completely asymptomatic.
7. Brain. It occurs more often in people with obvious signs of immunodeficiency and endocrine diseases. It differs from other diseases in the gradual development of symptoms. The primary symptoms are headaches and insomnia. A week later, patients report pain in the back of the head and forehead, and neurological disorders. After two weeks, the headaches become intense and are accompanied by vomiting.
8. Miliary tuberculosis. Characterized by the spread of mycobacteria throughout the body's bloodstream. Tuberculous tubercles form in various organs. It has the character of a typhoid-like disease.

Treatment of tuberculosis

Even at the beginning of the last century, tuberculosis was considered an incurable disease. At the moment, modern medicine provides patients with high-quality medicines. The process of treating tuberculosis at an early stage is especially good. There are several problems that arise in patients.

Many patients are in no hurry to go to the doctor and also try to heal on their own. The initial examination in the clinic is also quite often erroneous. A person is prescribed pills for a common cold, not for the tuberculosis virus. A complete recovery can only be achieved through the combined use of special medications. The name of the medicine, as well as the dosage, can only be determined by a qualified specialist. In particularly advanced cases, the patient will need surgical intervention. Begin the treatment process immediately after diagnosis. Always be under the supervision of qualified specialists.

Tuberculosis may reappear. During the recovery process, it is recommended to visit sanatorium-resort establishments. It is also important to do fluorography regularly and on time and try not to contact patients.

Tuberculosis is curable, pay attention to the symptoms and first signs of the disease in adults. If necessary, consult a doctor immediately. Start taking effective medications as early as possible!

Disease prevention

It is necessary to regularly undergo fluorographic examination to detect the disease in the early stages. It is necessary to vaccinate infants and school-age children with BCG in the maternity hospital, and regularly give children the Mantoux test. At the slightest suspicion of the presence of the disease, consult a doctor for blood and urine tests. If you feel signs that are among the first symptoms, do not hesitate to visit a doctor. During illness, it is very important not to miss the manifestation of these first symptoms of tuberculosis.

In conclusion, I would like to note that Koch’s bacillus is a dangerous, highly contagious microorganism, so you should not take annual blood tests, Mantoux tests and fluorography lightly. It is very important to identify the disease in the early stages in order to fully recover.