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Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
SIS
INTRODUCTION
Tuberculosis is a serious disease that most often affects the lungs
but can also affect other organs (extrapulmonary tuberculosis).
It was on March 24, 1882 that the German doctor Robert Koch
isolated the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis and which has
bacill
es cohabited with humans for millions of years. This discovery
acido earned him the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1905.
-
alcoo
lo- March 24 has been declared World Tuberculosis Day by the World
résist Health Organization (WHO).
ants.
DEFINITION
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that can affect many organs.
Human is the only reservoir of the germ and represents the main
agent of transmission of the bacterium.
bacill
The disease can progress in several phases:
es
acido • Primary tuberculosis infection: this corresponds to the body's
- first contact with the bacterium. Resulting damage in lung
alcoo
lo-
(known as lung canker). The multiplication of the bacteria leads
résist to the immune response and make caseous necrosis (the body's
ants. defense to prevent the development of bacteria). In the
majority of cases, the bacillus can remain in the body in a
"dormant" state for years until the immune system becomes
weak (latent tuberculosis).
• Active tuberculosis : certain diseases promote its
occurrence (AIDS, diabetes, alcoholism, malnutrition, etc.)
after a primary tuberculosis infection. The bacterium can
then reach many organs (lung, kidney, bone, brain).
CAUSES
The bacterium responsible for human tuberculosis is the bacillus of
Koch: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (in the form of rods) belonging
to the family of mycobacteria which are also called AFB = acid-fast
bacillus.
• A lingering fever
• night sweats
• Alteration in general state = Asthenia (weakness) + Anorexia
(loss of appetite) + Weight loss
PARACLINICAL EXAMINATIONS
• TST (tuberculin skin test): a small test for the diagnosis of
tuberculosis. This test is also widely used to check the proper
functioning of the BCG vaccine (bacille Calmette-Guerin) which
protects against tuberculosis.
NEGATIVE POSITIVE
• Rx Thorax: is a medical imaging technique based on X-rays
for diagnosing pathologies reaching or affecting the thorax
and lungs.
NORMAL INFECTED
• BK sputum: The cytobacteriological examination of sputum
consists of examining the sputum of a person in the event of a
respiratory infection, in order to determine which germs are
involved.