Tuberculosis (TB) is a centuries-old disease. It has affected people for over 4,000 years. The
World Health Organization (WHO) has identified tuberculosis (TB) as a worldwide health
emergency.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease caused by the bacillus (басили) Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Pulmonary TB affects the lungs, but extrapulmonary TB can Involve the bones, skin, brain,
intestines, kidneys, or spine. When an individual with pulmonary or laryngeal TB coughs,
sneezes, or talks, it spreads from an infected person to a susceptible (воспріімчівий) person in
airborne particles known as droplets. However, touching or surface contact does not transmit
tuberculosis bacteria. Transmission occurs when a person inhales droplet nuclei carrying the
bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis. When the immune system fails to eradicate (знищити) the
infection, allowing it to spread to the lungs or other regions of the body, active tuberculosis is
observed (спостерігається). People who have latent TB do not show any symptoms, and their
immune systems prevent it from spreading throughout the body.
The poorest areas of the community typically have the greatest prevalence of tuberculosis (TB),
as poverty can contribute (впливати) to poor nutrition and a weakened immune system. Low-
income individuals with a history of TB are more likely to reside (проживати) in crowded
(людний) spaces with inadequate ventilation and improper hygiene (гігієна).
Healthcare workers, children in schools, and prisoners are also at greater risk. If a person has a
compromised immune system as a result of concurrent HIV infection or medical conditions like
diabetes, immunological disorders, end-stage renal disease, gastrectomy, or jejuno-ileal bypass, ,
they are more likely to contract TB. Both infants and the elderly have immature immune
systems, which makes them prone to tuberculosis.
Symptoms of TB depend on where the TB bacteria settle in the body. A persistent cough for
longer than 3 weeks, chest pain, hemoptysis, weakness or fatigue, unexplained weight loss, loss
of appetite, fever, and night sweats are all potential symptoms of pulmonary ТВ.
For TB diagnosis, a complete medical evaluation is necessary, including the patient's history of
TB exposure, demographic factors (country of origine, age, occupation) and the presence of
medical conditions (especially HIV infection) that increase the risk of latent TB infection
progressing to active TB.
Testing for M. tuberculosis infection can be carried out using the TB blood test or the Mantoux
tuberculin skin test (TST). It measures the body's immune response to the tuberculosis bacteria.
Lung lesions (пошкодження) that vary in size, shape, density (густота), and cavitation can be
identified by performing a posterior-an terior chest X-ray. These abnormalities (аномалії) may
suggest TB but cannot be used to make a final diagnosis. The presence of acid-fast bacilli (AFB)
on a sputum smear or other specimen is frequently a sign of TB. A culture is nevertheless pa
performed on all initial samples to confirm the diagnosis because M. tuberculosis cannot always
be distinguished from other acid-fast bacilli in acid-fast microscopy. The initial isolate of M.
tuberculosis from each patient must be забезпек screened for treatment resistance. To ensure
effective therapy, it is critical to detect drug resistance as early as possible.
Drug resistance results in increased morbidity and mortality. According to the WHO, both
multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB, when patients develop resistance to two antibiotics, and XDR
TB (extensively drug-resistant TB), when patients develop resistance to three or more
antibiotics, are on the rise. The emergence of MDR cases has been linked to non-adherence to
