Miliary tuberculosis (patient information): Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 14:49, 21 November 2012
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Miliary tuberculosis |
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Miliary tuberculosis On the Web |
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For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief:
Overview
Disseminated tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection that has spread from the lungs to other parts of the body through the blood or lymph system.
What are the symptoms of Miliary tuberculosis?
Disseminated tuberculosis can affect many different body areas. Symptoms can include:
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Fever
- General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Weight loss
Other symptoms that can occur with this disease:
- Abdominal swelling
- Joint pain
- Pale skin due to anemia (pallor)
- Swollen glands
Note: The symptoms will depend upon the affected areas of the body.
What causes Miliary tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis (TB) infection can develop after inhaling droplets sprayed into the air from a cough or sneeze by someone infected with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. Small areas of infection, called granulomas (granular tumors), develop in the lungs.
The usual site of TB is the lungs, but other organs can be involved. In the U.S., most people with primary tuberculous get better and have no further evidence of disease. Disseminated TB develops in the small number of infected people whose immune systems do not successfully contain the primary infection.
Disseminated disease can occur within weeks of the primary infection. Sometimes, it does not occur until years after you become infected. You are more likely to get this type of TB if you have a weaken immune system due to disease (such as AIDS) or certain medications. Infants and the elderly are also at higher risk.
Your risk for catching TB increases if you:
- Are around people who have the disease
- Live in crowded or unclean conditions
- Have poor nutrition
TB has become more common in the U.S. in recent years. This may be due to a larger number of TB infections in people with AIDS and HIV, an increase in the number of immune-suppressing medications, and increasing numbers of homeless people. A rise in drug-resistant strains of TB bacteria also plays a role.
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
A physical exam may show:
- Swollen liver
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Swollen spleen
Tests for TB include:
- Biopsies and cultures of affected organs or tissues
- Bronchoscopy for biopsy or culture
- Chest x-ray
- CT scan of the affected area
- Fundoscopy may reveal retinal lesions
- Lung biopsy
- Mycobacterial culture of bone marrow or blood
- Pleural biopsy
- Sputum cultures
This list may not be all-inclusive.
The disease may also alter the results of the following tests:
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Peripheral blood smear
- Blood calcium level
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
The goal of treatment is to cure the infection with drugs that fight the TB bacteria. Treatment of active pulmonary TB will always involve a combination of many drugs (usually four drugs). All of the drugs are continued until lab tests show which medicines work best.
The most commonly used drugs include:
Other drugs that may be used to treat TB include:
- Para-aminosalicylic acid]]
You may need to take many different pills at different times of the day for 6 months or longer. It is very important that you take the pills the way your health care provider instructed.
When people do not take their tuberculosis medications as recommended, the infection becomes much more difficult to treat. The TB bacteria may become resistant to treatment, and sometimes, the drugs no longer help treat the infection.
When there is a concern that a patient may not take all the medication as directed, a health care provider may need to watch the person take the prescribed drugs. This is called directly observed therapy. In this case, drugs may be given 2 or 3 times per week, as prescribed by a doctor.
You may need to stay at home or be admitted to a hospital for 2 - 4 weeks to avoid spreading the disease to others until you are no longer contagious.
Your doctor or nurse is required by law to report your TB illness to the local health department. Your health care team will be sure that you receive the best care for your TB.
Where to find medical care for Miliary tuberculosis?
Directions to Hospitals Treating Miliary tuberculosis