What kinds of tb are there

If you are diagnosed with an active TB disease, be prepared to give a careful, detailed history of every person with whom you have had contact. Since the active form may be contagious, these people will need to be tested, as well. Multi-drug treatment is employed to treat active TB disease.

Depending on state or local public health regulations, you may be asked to take your antibiotics under the supervision of your physician or other healthcare professional. This program is called "Directly Observed Therapy" and is designed to prevent abandonment or erratic treatment, which may result in "failure" with continued risk of transmission or acquired resistance of the bacteria to the medications, including the infamous multi-drug resistant TB MDR-TB.

Miliary TB is a rare form of active disease that occurs when TB bacteria find their way into the bloodstream. In this form, the bacteria quickly spread all over the body in tiny nodules and affect multiple organs at once. This form of TB can be rapidly fatal. Other articles you may be interested in: What Causes a Persistent Cough? With expertise from:. Sharing is caring! Sign up today! Please enter a valid email address.

Tags Symptoms Risk factors and causes Lung Conditions. Trending Now. You May Also Like. Facebook WhatsApp Email Us share. All Rights Reserved. Singapore General Hospital. Changi General Hospital. Sengkang General Hospital. KK Women's and Children's Hospital. National Cancer Centre Singapore. National Dental Centre Singapore. Genitourinary TB can be spread through intercourse, though this is rare. People with this type of TB often develop a tuberculous ulcer on the penis or in the genital tract.

Liver TB is also called hepatic TB. It occurs when TB affects the liver. It accounts for less than 1 percent of all TB infections. Liver TB can spread to the liver from the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, lymph nodes, or the portal vein. Gastrointestinal TB is a TB infection that involves any part of the gastrointestinal tract, which extends from the mouth to the anus. Also known as meningeal tuberculosis , TB meningitis spreads to the meninges, which are the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

TB can spread to the meninges from the lungs or through the bloodstream. Unlike other types of meningitis that develop quickly, TB meningitis usually develops gradually.

TB peritonitis is TB that causes inflammation of the peritoneum, which is a layer of tissue that covers the inside of your abdomen and most of its organs. It affects 3. Ascites and fever are the most common symptoms of TB peritonitis.

Ascites is a buildup of fluid in the abdomen that causes abdominal swelling, bloating, and tenderness. TB pericarditis occurs when TB spreads to the pericardium. This consists of two thin layers of tissue separated by fluid that surround the heart and hold it in place. It can present as different types of pericarditis, including constrictive pericarditis , pericardial effusion, or effusive-constrictive pericarditis. Chest pain or pressure, especially when accompanied by shortness of breath or nausea, is a sign of a heart attack.

Call if you experience chest pain or other warning signs of a heart attack. Cutaneous TB affects the skin. There are several different types of cutaneous TB, and it can spread to other parts of the body. The main symptoms of cutaneous TB are usually sores or lesions in different areas, particularly the:. TST is performed by injecting a small amount of tuberculin into the skin of the forearm.

The skin will be monitored for a reaction 48 to 72 hours after the injection. Blood tests can help to confirm or rule out active or latent TB. Following a positive skin test, a healthcare provider may order a chest X-ray or CT scan. These tests produce images that may show changes in the lungs caused by active TB. Sputum is the mucus that comes up when you cough.

Healthcare providers sometimes collect sputum samples and test them for different strains of TB bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant types. TB can become life-threatening if left untreated, but most people make a full recovery with quick treatment. Tuberculosis is a highly contagious bacterial disease.