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Tuberculosis

Joanna Drowos, DO, MPH, MBA Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Active tuberculosis (TB) infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis

    • Primary infection or reactivation of latent infection. Risk increases with immunosuppression: highest risk firs...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Signs and symptoms

    • General: fever, night sweats, unintentional weight loss, malaise, painless lymph node swelling, arthralgias

    • Pulmonary TB: unexplained cough >2 to 3 weeks, hemoptys...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

If clinical suspicion, treat immediately. Prescribing physician is responsible for treatment completion. Respiratory and droplet precautions, airborne isolation Not infectiou...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • Monthly sputum for AFB smear and culture until two consecutive cultures are negative; must confirm prior to starting continuation phase. Monthly...

REFERENCES

1
Lewinsohn DM, Leonard MK, LoBue PA, et al. Official American Thoracic Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Clinical Practice Guidelines...

SEE ALSO

  • WHO tuberculosis program: https://www.who.int/teams/global-tuberculosis-programme/overview

  • Tuberculosis, CNS; Tuberculosis, Latent (LTBI); Tuberculosis, Miliary

CODES

ICD10

  • A15.9 Respiratory tuberculosis unspecified

  • A15.0 Tuberculosis of lung

  • A19.9 Miliary tuberculosis, unspecified

  • A18.89 Tuberculosis of other sites

  • A17.9 Tuberculosis of nervous system, unspecifie...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • TB is fully curable when treated appropriately.

  • Children and elderly patients exhibit fewer classic clinical features of TB.

  • TST and IGRA cannot discern active TB from LTBI.

  • Notify public...

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