Tests for tuberculosis - accurate diagnosis

People who have had symptoms that resemble the symptoms of tuberculosis, as well as those who are in contact with people who have been diagnosed with open tuberculosis, or who have recently visited the country in which this disease is very common, you should contact your family doctor or directly to the TB hospital. It should be tested for tuberculosis, to stop worrying and start treatment.

How to check for tuberculosis

If tuberculosis is suspected caution is never too much - the earlier the disease is detected, the better for the patient and his family. Currently, the following methods of diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis:

• Analysis of sputum for TB is considered the most accurate way to diagnose pulmonary tuberculosis, but it has one drawback - the results have to wait from one to eight weeks.

Sputum sample is placed in a container with substances that stimulate the growth of tubercle bacilli. If after some time there is growth of the microorganisms, a positive test result - if not negative, i.e., the patient is not suffering from tuberculosis. Microbiological diagnosis of tuberculosis Diagnosis of tuberculosis   also includes microscopy of sputum samples.

Typically, the collection of sputum samples is carried out in the morning; it is not recommended to eat, drink or brush your teeth - all of which can affect the results of the analysis. As a rule, patients self expectorate sputum into a special container, which gives them a doctor, but sometimes the fence sputum samples is carried out during bronchoscopy. If you suspect tuberculosis sputum sometimes you have to make three or more times.

• Bronchoscopy tuberculosis. Bronchoscope - a thin tool with a diameter less than one centimeter, and length - about sixty centimeters. It may be made of flexible or rigid material, but in most cases using a flexible bronchoscope. They are administered through the nose or mouth into the trachea and lungs, allowing physicians to assess the condition of the lungs, and, if necessary fence sputum samples. Using bronchoscopy may also be, for example, to remove foreign matter from the respiratory tract.

Typically, a bronchoscopy is performed under local anesthesia, but sometimes it can be applied general anesthesia - for example, when using rigid bronchoscopy. For 6-12 hours before the procedure can not eat or drink; It should also request that someone drive you home from the hospital or to call a taxi, because the self-drive after anesthesia can be dangerous. Before bronchoscopy also should not take aspirin or other blood thinners.

• Mantoux test for tuberculosis or tuberculin skin test - is usually the first test, which is used in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Such an analysis of tuberculosis can be assigned to people who have been in contact with TB patients, healthcare professionals, who might have been infected with tuberculosis, people who have had abnormal findings on chest radiography, who have the symptoms such as prolonged cough, profuse sweating at night and wanton weight reduction, as well as in patients with weakened immune systems. A skin test for tuberculosis do to patients who have previously been diagnosed with the disease and those who have a skin rash, because of which it can be difficult to interpret the test results.

The skin on the inside forearm A small amount of tuberculin - a substance derived from a protein of mycobacteria. At the site of injection may appear slight reddening, sometimes there is itching, but it is important to restrain yourself and do not itch - or redness may be even more extensive, which is why the test result could be interpreted incorrectly. With a very strong itching can be applied to the skin soaked a towel in cold water, but it is better to try not to wet land where the injection was given. In some patients, the skin test for TB is a very strong reaction; consult a doctor if you have any symptoms such as fever, swelling in the injection site, swollen lymph nodes in the armpits.

In itself, the redness of the skin does not mean that a person is infected with Mycobacterium. Infected patients appear reddish, dense and slightly raised portion; it is measured 2-3 days after the injection was given, and then interpret the results on the basis of which group a patient.

The high-risk group includes HIV-infected patients, people who have recently been in contact with patients with open tuberculosis and those who have symptoms of tuberculosis Symptoms of TB - how to recognize the disease   or who have symptoms of the disease were found during radiography. This group also include those who takes a long time corticosteroids or tumor neurosis factor inhibitors (drugs that are used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease).

In the group of moderate risk people who have recently returned from countries with high rates of tuberculosis who inject drugs are living in nursing homes, working in hospitals, schools or prisons, homeless people, children under 4 years old, children aged 4 to 18 years that contact with adults, belonging to high-risk people are underweight, people with diabetes, cancer, and patients who have undergone partial resection of the stomach.

All other patients considered to be at low risk.

Interpretation of results

It also does not distinguish vaccinated from infected patients - in both cases, the Mantoux test may be the same. If the response was positive, further laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis, to determine whether a patient is sick, and to determine the form of the disease.

An alternative analysis that can be tested for tuberculosis, etc. Tuberculosis - a full recovery is not guaranteed Or Diaskintest. It does not respond to mycobacterial strains contained in the vaccine against tuberculosis, and therefore has a higher accuracy, while also not absolute. This skin test do as well as the tuberculin skin test, and its results are evaluated 72 hours after injection.

Diagnosis of TB blood test

It should be noted that the blood analysis determines the presence of tuberculosis mycobacteria antibodies in blood, evaluating the immune response to the bacteria, but they can not determine the specific form of the disease in the patient - this requires additional diagnostic procedures.

Kvantiferonovy test for tuberculosis and T-SPOT test is very accurate - it is about 95%, and can be used in the diagnosis of patients who have previously been vaccinated against tuberculosis. Another advantage of these tests is that the blood of tuberculosis enough to pass once and phlegm often need to take more than three times; besides, to make a blood test, the patient is sufficient to come to the clinic once, while the diagnosis by skin testing requires at least two visits to the doctor. Blood tests for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection helps to identify where the Mantoux test does not give accurate results.

Urine test for TB is usually performed only in cases of suspected tuberculosis, kidney and urinary system. If you are taking antibiotics or have taken them during the last months prior to analysis to tell your doctor.

General blood test for tuberculosis to determine how the disease affects the health of the patient as a whole, and to identify possible complications. In the diagnosis of tuberculosis can also be analyzed for HIV and hepatitis Hepatitis - the scourge of our time .