Virus TB prevention and symptoms

The use of BCG vaccine for Tuberculosis Prevention
Tuberculosis, or more often called TBC is chronic bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Most people infected by the tuberculosis bacteria without suffering the symptoms of TBC, this is called latent tuberculosis. If the body's resistance has decreased because of age, malnutrition, infections such as HIV, or because of other factors, the bacteria will be active and cause active tuberculosis.

According to WHO, each year, about 8 million people worldwide have active tuberculosis and almost 2 million of them died.

TBC has been previously mentioned as caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attacks the lungs. However, the tuberculosis bacteria can also attack other parts of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain.

TBC spreads through the air from one person to another person. Bacterium tuberculosis are on the air when people with active tuberculosis have coughing or sneezing. The people in the surrounding air may breathe in the bacteria that contain this and become infected.
On people infected by the tuberculosis bacteria, the body has a natural defense mechanism against bacterial growth. As a result, the bacteria become inactive, but still remain in the body. This is called latent tuberculosis.

Patients who have latent tuberculosis has characteristics:
1. Not experience symptoms of TBC.

2. Do not feel sick.

3. Can not spread tuberculosis bacteria.

4. Usually on the PPD test (tuberculosis skin test reaction) to give positive results.

5. In some cases, may be the development of active tuberculosis if they are not receiving therapy.

If the patient does not receive treatment, decreasing the body's resistance latent tuberculosis will develop into active tuberculosis. Active tuberculosis is a condition in which the body's immune system can not afford to fight the tuberculosis bacteria in the body, so that cause infections, especially in the lungs. Symptoms for active tuberculosis include:

1. Prolonged cough for 3 weeks or more.

2. Pain in the chest.

3. Cough or bloody sputum.

4. Decrease in body weight.

5. Fever, shivering, and sweating at night.

6. Fatigue and loss of appetite to eat.

For TB diagnosis can be made with the Tuberculin test and microbiology testing.