Can tuberculosis be cured?

Written by Yuan Lin Yan
Infectious Disease
Updated on September 08, 2024
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Tuberculosis can be cured if it is detected early and treated promptly with standard anti-tuberculosis therapy, resulting in a very good prognosis. However, it is very unfortunate if detection is delayed or if standard treatment is not administered, as the tuberculosis may recur or infect with drug-resistant strains, causing permanent damage to lung function. Advanced pulmonary lesions or significant hemoptysis can be life-threatening. Currently, the treatment of tuberculosis involves chemotherapy, with principles including early treatment, combination therapy, appropriate dosing, regularity, and completeness, usually lasting at least six months. Common first-line anti-tuberculosis medications include isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide. Initially, a two-month intensive phase of treatment with isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide is followed by a four-month continuation phase with isoniazid and rifampin. During the treatment of tuberculosis, it is important to enhance one's resistance and immune function and to improve nutrition to facilitate recovery. (Use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
1min 13sec home-news-image

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a disease where the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis infects the lungs. It is a persistent bacterium that grows slowly. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease and quite common historically, often referred to as consumption in the past, as mentioned in the novels of Lu Xun. In modern times, tuberculosis is relatively manageable if the infection has not developed resistance to drugs. Proper anti-tuberculosis treatment can result in a cure rate exceeding 90% on the first attempt. However, if the treatment is not adhered to correctly—if the patient stops taking the medication prematurely or does not follow the prescribed regimen—the bacteria may develop resistance, reducing the effectiveness of the treatment. This is particularly problematic in elderly patients, who might also experience adverse reactions to tuberculosis medications, making treatment difficult. Thus, while tuberculosis is generally treatable, infections with drug-resistant strains can be fatal if not managed properly.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
51sec home-news-image

Can tuberculosis be fatal?

Can tuberculosis be fatal? Of course, the answer is yes. Many diseases can lead to death, even a common cold can potentially result in death, let alone tuberculosis, which is an extraordinary illness. Currently, the mortality rate for tuberculosis patients is relatively low because the treatment for tuberculosis has improved significantly compared to the past. However, there are still a small number of patients who, due to untimely treatment of tuberculosis, discontinuation of medications on their own accord or non-compliance with medical advice, or who have other serious underlying diseases, may not tolerate the tuberculosis treatment. As a result, they could potentially die from adverse reactions to the tuberculosis medications.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
51sec home-news-image

Does early-stage pulmonary tuberculosis cause fever?

Early stage tuberculosis patients generally exhibit clinical symptoms such as fever, primarily low-grade fever in the afternoon, along with coughing, hemoptysis, chest pain, chest tightness, and additional symptoms like weight loss, fatigue, and night sweats. These are very common and typical clinical symptoms of tuberculosis. Therefore, fever is very common in the early stages of tuberculosis. Consequently, once tuberculosis is accurately diagnosed in patients, it is crucial to promptly administer antitubercular drugs for systematic treatment. Usually, with a treatment duration of 6-9 months, the symptoms of early-stage tuberculosis and fever can be effectively controlled.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
1min 8sec home-news-image

Local symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis

The local symptoms of tuberculosis primarily require us to understand where tuberculosis occurs. Currently, tuberculosis in the lung tissues, trachea, bronchi, and pleura are all classified as pulmonary tuberculosis. The primary local symptoms are still respiratory symptoms, with the most common being cough and expectoration. Patients with tuberculosis generally have a slow onset, with most experiencing cough and expectoration that can persist for two weeks or more. Some patients may also exhibit symptoms like blood in the sputum or hemoptysis. Additionally, some patients may experience other symptoms; for example, those with pleural involvement might have irritative cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing, while those with tracheobronchial involvement might exhibit a prolonged irritative cough. Some patients may also develop bronchial stenosis, which can lead to difficulty breathing.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
1min 38sec home-news-image

Does tuberculosis cause a runny nose?

Do patients with tuberculosis have a runny nose? First, we need to understand what tuberculosis is. The pathogen of tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, commonly referred to as TB bacillus. Its primary site of infection is the lungs, but now we also classify and manage tracheobronchial and tuberculous pleurisy under pulmonary tuberculosis. However, these sites do not include the nasal part. Generally, patients with pulmonary tuberculosis show symptoms of the respiratory system and systemic symptoms. The most common respiratory symptoms include coughing and phlegm production for more than two weeks. Some patients may also experience hemoptysis, with varying amounts from mild to severe. A few patients may also experience chest pain. Additionally, patients with caseous pneumonia or significant pleural effusion may experience difficulty in breathing. Systemic symptoms of tuberculosis include fever, mainly characterized by afternoon tidal fever, with some patients exhibiting high fevers, and other general symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, night sweats, and fatigue. However, the majority of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis do not exhibit nasal symptoms, meaning a runny nose is generally not a manifestation of tuberculosis. It could be possible that a tuberculosis patient might also have other infections or causative diseases, such as allergic rhinitis.