Does tuberculosis get inherited?

Written by Wang Xiang Yu

Pulmonology

Updated on September 13, 2024

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Is tuberculosis hereditary? Tuberculosis is not a hereditary disease; it is an infectious disease. Infectious diseases and hereditary diseases are two completely different concepts. Tuberculosis is generally infectious, which means that in a family, if parents are infected, they can easily transmit the tuberculosis bacteria to their children or others around them. Therefore, many people might mistakenly believe that tuberculosis is hereditary. However, this is not the case; tuberculosis is transmitted through the tuberculosis bacteria.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu

Pulmonology

50sec

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Can people with tuberculosis drink alcohol?

Whether patients with tuberculosis can drink alcohol, first of all, it is important to know that tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease and a consumptive disease that consumes the body's calories. Drinking alcohol can affect the body's absorption of energy. Moreover, most patients with tuberculosis need to take anti-tuberculosis medication, most of which are metabolized through the liver and can cause varying degrees of liver damage. Drinking alcohol can exacerbate liver damage and reduce the effectiveness of the medication. Additionally, since there are many types of anti-tuberculosis medications for tuberculosis patients, some medications may cause adverse reactions when drinking alcohol. Therefore, all tuberculosis patients must strictly abstain from drinking alcohol during treatment.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan

Neonatology

1min 1sec

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Does the BCG vaccine prevent tuberculosis?

The BCG vaccine primarily prevents infection by the tuberculosis bacillus, so it can prevent pulmonary tuberculosis. The protective effect of the BCG vaccine is mainly achieved through inducing a cell-mediated immune response. After vaccination, a primary infection is formed, which is processed by macrophages that transmit the antigen information to immune-active cells, leading to the differentiation and proliferation of T cells and the formation of sensitized lymphocytes. When the body is re-infected with the tuberculosis bacillus, the macrophages and sensitized lymphocytes are activated, causing a specific immune response in the body, thereby resisting the infection by the tuberculosis bacillus. Therefore, the BCG vaccine mainly prevents pulmonary tuberculosis.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu

Pulmonology

57sec

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Can you get tuberculosis on your own?

This question can be interpreted in two ways. First, whether every individual could potentially contract tuberculosis (TB) – to that, the answer is yes. Tuberculosis is a contagious disease, and we are all susceptible to the TB bacterium. Therefore, there is a chance, in our lifetimes, to be infected by the TB bacterium and consequently develop TB. The second interpretation revolves around whether a person could suddenly develop TB without specific reasons. Generally, this does not happen. In other words, a typical person would not contract TB unless they have been exposed to the TB bacterium. This means one does not contract TB arbitrarily; it occurs only after coming into contact with TB patients or the TB bacterium, leading to an infection in the lungs and resulting in TB.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu

Pulmonology

40sec

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Does tuberculosis get inherited?

Is tuberculosis hereditary? Tuberculosis is not a hereditary disease; it is an infectious disease. Infectious diseases and hereditary diseases are two completely different concepts. Tuberculosis is generally infectious, which means that in a family, if parents are infected, they can easily transmit the tuberculosis bacteria to their children or others around them. Therefore, many people might mistakenly believe that tuberculosis is hereditary. However, this is not the case; tuberculosis is transmitted through the tuberculosis bacteria.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu

Pulmonology

46sec

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Can tuberculosis relapse?

Tuberculosis can relapse, and the answer is definitely yes. In clinical practice, we see many patients who have had tuberculosis and, years later, experience a recurrence of the disease, even multiple recurrences. However, the probability of this is generally not high. As long as everyone follows the doctor's instructions for standard anti-tuberculosis treatment and completes the full course of treatment, most patients can be cured. However, there are a few people whose treatment process is not standard, or who stop taking their medication on their own, and these actions can increase the risk of tuberculosis recurrence.