Is pulmonary tuberculosis contagious?

Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
Updated on September 06, 2024
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The source of transmission for tuberculosis mainly comes from patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis, also known as bacterium-shedding patients. This is determined when tuberculosis bacteria are found in the patient's sputum. Tuberculous pleurisy, commonly referred to as tuberculous pleurisy, is not contagious. This is because the pleural effusion is confined within the pleural cavity, isolated from the external environment, and the chances of detecting tuberculosis bacteria in the pleural fluid are very low. Therefore, it is generally not contagious and there is no need for concern. The treatment duration for tuberculous pleurisy is longer than that for pulmonary tuberculosis, typically lasting 9 to 12 months. It is important to follow medical advice and complete the course of anti-tuberculosis treatment.

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Patients with tuberculosis tend to exhibit symptoms such as cough, expectoration, low-grade fever, night sweats, afternoon feverishness, and blood in sputum in the early stages. Systemic symptoms of tuberculosis include afternoon feverishness, which refers to the body temperature starting to rise in the afternoon and returning to normal by early morning. Night sweats refer to sweating profusely during sleep, which stops upon waking. These tuberculosis-related symptoms are commonly seen in the early stages of the disease.

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Is pulmonary tuberculous effusion contagious?

Pulmonary hydrotuberculosis is actually caused by infection with the tuberculous bacillus, which is commonly referred to as tuberculous pleurisy. Simple tuberculous pleurisy is not contagious, because the lesions are primarily within the pleural cavity, and the pleural cavity is not connected to the outside world. Therefore, simple pulmonary hydrotuberculosis is not contagious. However, if it is accompanied by pulmonary tuberculosis, and if the examination for pulmonary tuberculosis finds tuberculous bacillus in the sputum, then it is contagious in these cases.

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Is a shadow on the lung definitely tuberculosis?

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Is the disease with symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and palpitations tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis can cause symptoms such as fever, night sweats, cough, and hemoptysis, and in severe cases, it can lead to chest tightness, shortness of breath, and palpitations. However, if a patient experiences shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and palpitations without symptoms like fever, hemoptysis, or night sweats, it is advisable to consider heart disease or chronic lung disease, or pneumonia leading to cardiopulmonary insufficiency. To rule out these conditions, examinations such as a chest CT and cardiac echocardiography should be conducted. Patients experiencing chest tightness and difficulty breathing are advised to seek medical attention at a hospital as soon as possible.