Clinical Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis or TB is an infectious disease, which generally affects the lungs, but may affect other parts of the body as well. It is caused by the bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Fever, night sweats, blood-containing sputum and weight loss are primary symptoms of TB. Most cases of TB do not exhibit symptoms and are called latent. However, nearly 10% of such latent infections lead to active disease, which can be fatal if not treated. A diagnosis of active TB requires culture and microscopic examination of bodily fluids, and chest X-rays. Latent TB can be diagnosed with the Mantoux tuberculin skin test. It is treated with isoniazid alone or in combination with rifampicin or rifapentine. Active TB treatment requires multiple antibiotics over a long period of time. This book provides a fair idea about tuberculosis and the recent advances in its diagnosis and treatment. It presents researches and studies performed by experts across the globe. For all those who are interested in this disease, this book can prove to be an essential guide.