| Show The Facts about Tuberculosis fi tb The e et t fA k Human 7 Side SideBy By Laura Burton Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Family Practitioner The Health Center gives immunizations and tests for tuber tuber- Many students staff and faculty members have inquired about tuberculosis and what the test means The following is a summary of what tuberculosis is and is not and how and why it is tested for Tuberculosis is an infection primarily of the lungs although itcan it itcan itcan can affect any organ of the body It is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis organism and is spread by airborne droplets coughed up or sneezed out by a person with untreated clinically active tuberculosis Tuberculosis is deadly Those who have clinically active tuberculosis tuberculosis tuberculosis tuber tuber- and do not receive proper treatment die within about two years Close contacts to a person with undiagnosed or untreated tuberculosis are at risk for acquiring acquiring acquiring ing infection About 10 percent of infected persons will develop clinically clinically clinically clin clin- active tuberculosis at some sometime sometime sometime time in their lives if not treated Individuals who are infected but do not have clinically active pulmonary pulmonary pulmonary pul pul- tuberculosis are not usually usually usually usual usual- ly infectious to others Some techniques to reduce the transmission of tuberculosis are covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing like our moms mom's taught us to be polite it can keep us healthy as well ventilation with fresh air using ultraviolet lights to irradiate the theair theair theair air and to start tuberculosis anti-tuberculosis therapy quickly if infected The tuberculin skin test is used to identify persons who have F been infected with the tuberculosis sis organism The test is usually performed by injecting 01 mL of Purified Protein Derivative tuberculin containing 5 TU TV tuberculin tuberculin tuberculin tuber tuber- culin units through a needle into the forearm The test is read 48 to 72 hours after the injection The reading is based on the size of what is felt not redness redness redness red red- ness what is seen A person is considered positive with M. M tuberculosis for reaction persons who have had close contact with a patient with infectious tuberculosis persons who have chest x-rays x with old healed tuberculosis lesions persons persons persons per per- sons with known or suspected HIV infection A person is positive with M. M tuberculosis for a reaction foreign-born foreign persons from high prevalence countries Asia Africa Latin America medically low-income low populations populations populations IV drug users and residents of nursing homes jails and homeless homeless homeless home home- less shelters All people are considered positive positive positive tive for M. M tuberculosis for a reaction of a reaction does not mean the person is free from tuberculosis Being recently infected can take 2 10 weeks before being detected by skin test test- ing mg There are many signs and symptoms of tuberculosis they are productive prolonged cough over 3 weeks duration fever chills night sweats loss of appetite weight loss easily tired and coughing up blood Because many of these symptoms are closely related to other illnesses anyone with a cough for greater than three weeks should have a history physical skin test chest x-ra x and possibly cultures One should see their health care provider or visit the health center if they have any of these toms |
