A cough is the main symptom, but you may also get a fever, night sweats adn probably weight loss.
Symptoms of active TB may include:
* Ongoing cough that brings up thick, cloudy, and sometimes bloody mucus (sputum) from the lungs.
* Fatigue and weight loss.
* Night sweats and fever.
* Rapid heartbeat.
* Swelling in the neck (when lymph nodes in the neck are infected).
* Shortness of breath and chest pain (in rare cases).
Sometimes, when you are first infected, the disease is so mild you don't know you have it. This is also true for people with latent TB because they have no symptoms.
No symptoms – in early phases; also if they only have latent TB infection
Early infection symptoms:
Fever,Chills,Sweating,Night sweats,Flu-like symptoms,Gastrointestinal symptoms,Weight loss,No appetite,Weakness,Fatigue.
Symptoms of chronic lung infection (pulmonary tuberculosis):
Persistent cough,Chest pain,Coughing up bloody sputum,Shortness of breath,Breathing difficulty,Recurring bouts of fever,Weight loss,Progressive shortness of breath,
a bad cough that lasts longer than 2 weeks,pain in the chest,coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs)
well,T.B is a systemic disease & may affect all body systems like meningies ,pericardium,renal system,colon …etc.
large population infected with T.B & passed unnoticed,then under special condition this dorment illness becomes active with severe symptoms.
*symptoms:
1-cough
2-night sweating
3-wieght loss&anorexia
4-fever
5-malaise with general weakness
#in more advanced cases there will be:
1-hemoptysis(coughing bloody sputum)
2-pleural effusion(fluid in pleural cavity)
3-pleurisy
all these symptoms are suggestive for T.B which need to be investigated.
*investigation:
1-multiple sputum samples examination for Acid fast Bacilli
2-chest x-ray:which reveals the presence of a patch which may indicate consolidatin,cavitation or fibrosis.
3-other techniques.
treatment of T.B comprises a combination of drugs for 6 months.
*treatment:
1-initial phase:lasts two months on 3-4 drugs:
a.rifampicin
b.isoniazid
c.pyrazinamide
#if resistance possible we add ethambutol.
2-continuation phase:lasts four months on 2 drugs:
a.rifampicin
b.isoniazid
#also we give pyridoxine throughout all the treatment period.
#steroid may be indicated in case of meningeal or pericardial disease.