Tuberculosis Archives - Healthhype

Bone Tuberculosis and Back TB (Pott’s Disease)

Dr. Chris — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:02:31 +0000

What is bone TB? Tuberculosis (TB) is a well known infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs (pulmonary tuberculosis ~ lung TB). However, it can affect various other sites of the body and is then referred to as extrapulmonary TB. When it affects the bone, it is known as tuberculous osteomyelitis or simply bone tuberculosis (TB). The weight bearing bones and joints are most commonly affected – the spinal column, followed by the knees and hips. The joints of these bones are also often involved but TB of the joints (tuberculous arthritis) usually has a predilection for the the hips and knees. Other bones and joints, like that of the wrist, hand and elbow may also be affected typically after an injury to these areas. The bone, with its hard outer surface, is often thought to be impermeable to an infection. However, the inner soft tissue of the bone is just as prone to an infection as with any other part of the body. Bone tuberculosis almost always occurs secondary to an active tuberculous infection in some other organ. It reaches the bone by traveling through the bloodstream (hematogenous spread). At other times it can spread to the bone through [...]

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Pulmonary Tuberculosis (Lung TB)

Dr. Chris — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 23:03:37 +0000

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by an infection with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacillus, a type of bacteria that can affect any part of the body but most commonly the lungs. It is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world today but most people have latent TB which is essentially a dormant infection and is therefore asymptomatic. However, should the ideal conditions arise, specifically diminished immune defenses, it can rapidly become an active infection. Throughout most of the 20th century there was a decline in new TB cases in the United States largely driven by better living conditions and lifestyle factors. Towards the end of the century, there has been a slight increase in new TB cases mainly due to HIV co-infection. More recently drug-resistant strains of the TB bacillus – MDR-TB (multi drug-resistant tuberculosis) and XDR-TB (extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis) – have also posed a new problem increasing the contagious time period despite treatment. Globally, TB still remains one of the leading infectious causes of deaths particularly in developing countries and nations with a high HIV prevalence. What is pulmonary tuberculosis? Pulmonary tuberculosis, sometimes commonly referred to as TB of the lung or lung TB, is an infection [...]

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6 Signs of Tuberculosis (TB) and Tests for Diagnosis

Dr. Chris — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 22:47:14 +0000

Tuberculosis is a serious health problem globally but uncommon in most developed countries. There has been a steady decline in tuberculosis cases in the United States and the disease causes less than 600 deaths a year. Nevertheless tuberculosis is still a global health concern as the disease can be easily spread and the rise of multi-drug resistant TB means that the disease is becoming more difficult to treat. How To Spot Tuberculosis Most people believe that tuberculosis is easily spotted by a persistent cough, especially with coughing up bloody sputum. While this is a characteristic sign of pulmonary tuberculosis (lung TB), the infection can also affect other parts of the body where there may be no cough present. Tuberculosis infections outside of the lung are known as extra-pulmonary TB. It can affect any part of the body including the bone, spine, kidney, brain, eyes, skin and other organs. However, pulmonary tuberculosis (lung TB) is by far the more common. The microbe responsible for TB, known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is easily spread from an infected person to an uninfected person through droplets during coughing. The microbe can then enter the lung of an uninfected person but may still not cause the [...]

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Middle Back Pain – Causes

Dr Gauresh — Wed, 26 May 2010 01:40:42 +0000

Middle back pain is pain or discomfort in the lower part of the thoracic spinal region. Upper back pain is considered a part of neck spasm and the conditions causing it are commonly muscular abnormalities. Low back pain is seen in middle and elderly individuals due to increased stress on the weight-bearing part of the back. The causes of middle back pain are mostly related to structural abnormalities that arise during growth and development of the vertebrae. The middle back is frequently targeted by infections, deformities, and tumors, and so on. These diseases occur slowly over a period of several months to years and intriguingly the same is true regarding their treatment. Spinal deformities (kyphosis, scoliosis, etc.) have a tendency to recover spontaneously (without any treatment, during normal growth of the body). Hence, repeated visits and x-ray examinations are necessary to look for improvement or worsening of a deformity. Spinal infections on the other hand need prolonged antibiotic therapy with repeated monitoring of response to treatment. Spinal tumors are surgically removed at the onset but yet have to be monitored for recurrence. Thus, diseases causing middle back pain necessitate repeated visits to the orthopedist, which should be religiously done to [...]

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Middle Back Pain – Infections

Dr Gauresh — Wed, 26 May 2010 20:47:25 +0000

Infections of the vertebral column are quite rare considering their tough structure. Direct infections are not known to occur, but transfer of infections from the chest or other adjoining structures is common. The presence of infection in the body increases the stress on the body and also weakens the defenses of the body. Thus, even a simple fever (first sign of infection), can lead to spread of infections to the vertebral column. Hence, we must not take any fever lightly, especially when it occurs regularly over a long time ! Mechanism of Spinal Infections The single most incriminating factor responsible for spinal infections is blood supply. The blood vessels which carry blood away from the vertebrae or the veins do not have any valves. Thus, the blood from adjacent organs can pass backwards into the vertebrae. This is the precise manner in which infections from the chest, like pneumonia, tuberculosis, and so on, spread to the vertebrae. Chest infections are easily cleared by the immune system of the body, even in the absence of any anti-microbial treatment. However, the organisms which infect the vertebrae reach a safe haven. The immune system cells cannot travel freely to reach the vertebrae in [...]

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