Via the air through coughs, sneezes and droplets of moisture containing the bacteria.
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What are the symptoms of TB?
Chronic coughs, coughing sputum, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, rapid weight loss, fevers, night sweat and extreme fatigue.
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What happens during the primary stage of TB?
TB enters the upper respiratory tract where it begins to reproduce rapidly, white blood cells rush to the area to engulf and destroy the bacteria, tubercles form and the infection can be controlled 3 - 8 weeks later.
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What are tubercles?
They form within the lungs and consists of tissues, dead macrophages with TB bacteria within the middle.
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What symptoms occur during the primary stage of TB?
Coughs, fevers, sore throats (some people won't experience any symptoms).
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What is secondary tuberculosis?
This is known as active tuberculosis which is the reactivation of the previous infection and is usually common for people with weak immune systems.
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What occurs during secondary TB?
The bacteria breaks out of the tubercles and cause lesions in the lungs, bacteria may move to other parts of the body e.g. glands and lymph nodes,
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Why do fevers or night sweats occur during the secondary stage of TB?
They are needed to either kill or reduce the replication rate if the bacterium.
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How are fevers formed?
Fever causing chemicals are released from neutrophils or macrophages. These chemicals affect the hypothalamus which alters the core body temperature. (TB will then stop producing at temperatures above 42 degrees).
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What is glandular TB? What are its symptoms?
TB can also affect other parts of the patients body (lymph nodes and the central nervous system). Symptoms: enlarged lymph glands usually in the neck or armpits.
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When is TB activated?
When the body's defences are weakened. The weakening of the immune system can be brought by ageing, serious illness, drug or alcohol abuse or HIV infection.
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What are the treatments for TB?
Antibiotics (to identify what bacterium is present sputum is taken and the bacteria is isolated and then identified using gram positive stains.
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How can you check if a person has TB?
Use chest X rays, skin/ heat test or blood tests (antibodies for the TB begin to appear in the blood a few weeks after infection).
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How does a skin/ heath test work?
Tuberculin ( a small amount of bacterium) is what is placed into the skin. This is made of different species of mycobacterium and some proteins. A positive result is when the area of the skin produces tiny bumps (inflammation).
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When can a false positive occur?
If the person has had a BCG anti TB vaccination or the person has latent TB.
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
How is it spread?
Back
Via the air through coughs, sneezes and droplets of moisture containing the bacteria.
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