Common pulmonary tuberculosis complications

According to statistics, a total of 1.5 million people will die from TB in 2020. Worldwide, the consequences of pulmonary tuberculosis are very scary, the 13th leading cause of death and the 2nd leading cause of infectious diseases. after COVID-19.

Tuberculosis is a multisystem infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (rod-shaped). Tuberculosis (TB can stand for disease or pathogenic bacteria) is most commonly associated with fatal infectious disease worldwide. HIV infection is the leading cause of death in these populations.
There are many types of TB, but active or latent TB infections are the two most common. Active TB is when the disease has symptoms and can be transmitted to others. Latent type is when a person is infected with the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis but does not cause symptoms (usually because the body's immune system stops the bacteria from growing and spreading) and does not have TB bacteria in the sputum. . People with latent TB usually cannot pass the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria to others unless the immune system is faulty; failure causes reactivation (bacterial growth is no longer inhibited) leading to active tuberculosis so that the person becomes contagious. Latent tuberculosis, like the chickenpox infection, is dormant and can reactivate years later.

Although there are several types of TB, pulmonary tuberculosis is the cause of the majority (about 85%) of TB infections. Therefore, TB symptoms and signs can occur with or even before other types of TB are diagnosed.
Classic clinical symptoms and signs of pulmonary tuberculosis may include:
Fever; Night sweats; Chronic cough; Coughing up blood (coughing up bloody sputum); Decrease or loss of appetite; Weight loss; Tired; Chest pain (pain when breathing); Short of breath; Swollen lymph nodes ; Pleurisy (may be the only symptom in the elderly).

Although some people may not develop pulmonary complications, others can progress from mild to severe, including death. Some of the more serious TB complications include impaired lung function, osteoarthritis pain, meningitis, affected kidney and/or liver function, cardiac tamponade, and visual disturbances.
It can be seen that the complications and consequences of pulmonary tuberculosis are very severe and can seriously affect health later. Therefore, when you notice signs of suspected pulmonary tuberculosis, you should go to the hospital for examination and timely intervention.
Currently, in addition to providing BCG vaccination services produced by Vaccines and Medical Biologicals Company, Vinmec International General Hospital also applies many methods combined with a system of machines and equipment. Modern equipment makes the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis more effective. The examination process is carried out by a team of qualified doctors with many years of experience in the profession. Therefore, patients can be assured of the quality of medical care at Vinmec.