What tuberculosis means?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air. TB usually affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys, or the spine. A person with TB can die if they do not get treatment.
What is bacteriologically confirmed TB?
A bacteriologically confirmed TB case is one from whom a biological specimen is positive by smear microscopy, culture or WHO-approved rapid diagnostics (such as Xpert MTB/RIF). All such cases should be notified, regardless of whether (more…) HIV status.
What is bacteriological coverage?
1,2 Bacteriological coverage, defined as the proportion of pulmonary TB (PTB) cases with sputum smear test results (excluding children aged 0–7 years),3 is a measure both of the availability of laboratory services and of compliance with TB guidelines.
What is presumptive TB treatment?
Presumptive therapy is of benefit in that it stops progression of the disease at an early stage and decreases the potential for spread of tuberculous infection. In addition, such therapy coupled with systematic reevaluation of patients substantiates the diagnosis or indicates that further evaluation is needed.
When is the best time to take TB medication?
The medications work best if they are taken all together one hour before, or two hours after, food and preferably with water. Ideally, the medications should be taken at the same time each day. For patients who have nausea, the medications can be taken with light food (eg, dry toast).
What is TB notification rate?
Morbidity. Definition Number of new and relapse TB cases notified in a given year, per 100 000 population. The term “notification” means that TB is diagnosed in a patient and is reported within the national surveillance system, and then on to WHO.
How do you know if you have drug resistant TB?
Drug resistance can be detected using special laboratory tests which test the bacteria for sensitivity to the drugs or detect resistance patterns. These tests can be molecular in type (such as Xpert MTB/RIF) or else culture-based.
What is the final stage of TB?
Key points about tuberculosis There are 3 stages of TB: exposure, latent, and active disease. A TB skin test or a TB blood test can often diagnose the infection. But other testing is also often needed. Treatment exactly as recommended is needed to cure the disease and prevent its spread to other people.