Definition:
TB or Disseminated tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial infection that has spread from the lungs to other organs of the body through the blood or the lymph system.
Diagnosis:
Physical exams usually reveal enlarged lymph nodes, enlarged liver, and enlarged spleen. The diagnostic tests conducted to diagnose the disease are biopsies and cultures of affected organs or tissues, bronchoscopy for biopsy or culture, chest x-ray, open lung biopsy, retinal lesions revealed with fundoscopy, sputum cultures, and tuberculin skin test.
Treatment:
Treatment is the disease is aimed at curing the infection with antitubercular drugs. Among those drugs are Amikacin, Ethambutol, Ethionamide, Isoniazid, Para-aminosalicylic acid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampicin, and Streptomycin. The daily oral doses last 6 months to 1 year.
For those suffering from atypical or drug-resistant strains, treatment usually starts with a minimum of three drugs.
Admitting the patient to the hospital is also an option to prevent spreading the disease to others until the infectious period is over.
Symptoms and Signs:
Disseminated tuberculosis symptoms include cough, fatigue, fever, general discomfort or uneasiness, sweating, shortness of breath, and weight loss. Abdominal swelling, chills, joint pain, paleness, and swollen glands may also be manifested.
Causes:
The infection may develop after inhaling droplets sprayed into the air through coughing or sneezing of an infected person.
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