Monday, December 28, 2009

Is it possible to have inactive tuberculosis for the rest of your life

Is it possible to have inactive tuberculosis for the rest of your life?
I have t.b and I was wondering if incoupd have it inactive fonthe rest of my life....it is a scary to know you might someday hav it active and sloly die What causes t.b to become active?
Respiratory Diseases - 1 Answers
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1 :
Yes, once you become infected with TB the germ, (tubercle bacillus) stays in your body for life, this is what "inactive TB" is/means. It can become active again but there are medications which can prevent that from happening. If you have concerns about this you should discuss it with your doctor. Edit...A weakened immune system is usually the reason and what makes one more vulnerable. Any illness, condition, (such as flu viruses) or drugs/treatment (such as immunosuppressants, chemotherapy, etc.) that weaken the immune system can trigger activation


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Thursday, December 24, 2009

Sunday, December 20, 2009

What instructions would you give a patient suspected of having tuberculosis

What instructions would you give a patient suspected of having tuberculosis?

Infectious Diseases - 2 Answers
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1 :
Here you go: http://www.google.com/search?q=patient+instructions+tuberculosis&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
2 :
I'm guessing you are NOT a doctor or even a nurse, because you'd know the answer! GET THIS PERSON TO THE ER, STAT, as they say! They'll be quarantined and anyone in contact will be as well, since TB is not routinely tested for anymore. BUT...it's still quite serious. No, it can NOT be treated with bed rest (or Doc Holliday would have lived to a ripe old age), or lemons, or herbs! It needs hospitalization



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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Could HIV ever mutate, become airborne and infectious like Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Could HIV ever mutate, become airborne and infectious like Mycobacterium tuberculosis?
What would be the worldwide impact of such a plague? Could we contro it?
Infectious Diseases - 2 Answers
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1 :
HIV isn't classified as a respiratory disease, like those airborne illnesses you are thinking of. HIV isn't transmitted through your breath. The virus already doesn't live that long outside of the body, and while there are various mutations of the virus, there won't ever be anything like what you are talking about.
2 :
No. HIV cannot enter a sporous state without serious genetic modification, assuming it can be done in the first place. Furthermore, HIV does not last all that long outside the body



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Saturday, December 12, 2009

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

How do you get tuberculosis, like virus or bacteria

How do you get tuberculosis, like virus or bacteria?
I really need to know!
Infectious Diseases - 4 Answers
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1 :
it's passed by droplet (cough, sneeze, etc) transmission and is a bacteria. there are antibiotics that you (and your close contacts) take. It's a simple test that takes three days to assess (the skin test). You can see your doctor or the local health department if you suspect it. You would be doing yourself and your community a favor to identify it if you do have it and give yourself peace of mind if you don't.
2 :
Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious, re-emerging bacterial illness that usually affects the lungs. TB bacteria are spread from person to person through the air. There are two forms of TB: 1) TB infection, and 2) TB disease (active TB). Most people with TB have infection. People with TB infection have no symptoms and cannot spread TB to others. People with TB disease have symptoms and can spread TB to others. People with TB infection can take medicine to keep them from getting TB disease. People with TB disease can usually be cured with anti-TB drugs. To be effective, the drugs must be taken exactly as prescribed. Some new strains of TB are resistant to many anti-TB drugs. Preventing TB involves: 1) keeping people from becoming infected with TB, 2) keeping people with TB infection from getting TB disease, 3) treating people with TB disease, and 4) implementing precautions in institutional settings to reduce the risk of TB transmission. Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a bacterium. Tuberculosis is spread from person to person through the air. People with TB disease of the lung spray the bacteria into the air when they cough, sneeze, talk, or laugh. People nearby can breathe in the bacteria and become infected. To become infected, a person usually needs to be exposed for a long time to air containing many TB bacteria. When a person breathes in TB bacteria, they lodge in the lungs and begin to multiply. From there, the bacteria sometimes move through the blood to other parts of the body, such as the kidneys, joints, and brain. In most cases, the infection is kept in check by the body's immune system. In about 10% of cases, however, the infection breaks out into active TB disease at some point during the life of the infected person.
3 :
TB is airborne. You get it though a sneeze. If you think you were exposed go to the dr and get tested. There is medication that can cure it. Not sure if it is viral or bacteral. Its pretty much under control now days to where its not likely, but better safe than sorry.
4 :
TB is caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium. It is easily spread through droplets in the air contaminated with the bacteria. So a cough, sneeze, even singing and whistling can transmit it. TB is easily spread and most often gets into the lungs. But you can also have TB in open wounds and internal infections ( even bones)



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Friday, December 4, 2009

How to stop Tuberculosis infection in the developing countries

How to stop Tuberculosis infection in the developing countries?

Infectious Diseases - 5 Answers
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1 :
Give immunizations to all kids. A BCG vaccine program given in Norway and many developed countries has eradicated the disease there.
2 :
Ethnic cleansing??
3 :
To answer this question you have to first consider why there is still TB in the third world. As a health care worker who has been involved in treatment and prevention of infectious diseases especially HIV and TB in the third world countries, i think the answer lies in one aspect. POVERTY. The reason why there is still TB is mainly because of overcrowding and living in dump, non-ventilated, sorroundings which is a timebomb for the spread of the disease. This is the reason why its still seen in Jails and prisons in the developed countries. The best way to stop the spread is by preventing/controlling/or changing this. But how can this be done? http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/tb/pubs/nowisthetime This offers some insight in the struggle to rid the world of TB.
4 :
Health educate people about the way it is spread. Teach them not to spit in public places. Make drugs available free of cost, so that patients complete their treatment and do not get multi- drug resistant TB. Help people improve their living standard by making education free and compulsory. Make diagnostic facilities for TB easily available.
5 :
There are two aspects to this: first you have to stop people from spreading it, and secondly you have to stop people from getting it. To stop people from spreading, you need to treat them....with expensive antibiotics. One problem there apart from the sheer cost of delivering antibiotics to 1.7billion people, is that in poor area's, people are known to either divivde their medication out amoungst the family and so not get enough, or sell it for food. The to stop people from getting it, vacination. That being said, the BCG vaccine doesn't give 100% protection. WHO are trying hard to vaccinate all children, but its hard work. Obviously both of these need to done simultaneously



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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Samurai's Garden: What does Tuberculosis and leprosy do to the body

Samurai's Garden: What does Tuberculosis and leprosy do to the body?
finished reading The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama and i know what Tuberculosis and Leprosy do(based on what i read in book), but i was hoping i could get a bit more info. ALSO, any exra info about the book itself would be nice, but i do not want a huge paragraph of what causes the diseases and treatments etc, even though thats great to learn, it is not something i am concerned for at the moment.THANKS!
Books & Authors - 1 Answers
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1 :
Tuberculosis is a disease and there's really not much to it. It's when you cough up blood and basically its were you slowly die. I think you get it from like smoking er something It has to do with your lungs. Leprosy is when you can't use a certain part of your body or somethin like that were blood doesn't flow there and well I hope that this helped



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