TUBERCULOSIS

It is a chronic, subacute or acute disease that most commonly affects the respiratory system, usually the lungs, but may involve parts of the other system such as the lymphatic, osseous, urogenital, nervous and gastrointestinal.
Characterized by the formation in the tissues of tubercles, which tend to undergo caseation nad necrosis or fibrosis and calcification, and which tend to spread through tissues either the direct continuity, by direct spread through bronchi or smaller bronchioles or by dissemination through the blood or lymph channels.

Causative Agent:
Myocobacterium Tuberculosis – it was discovered by Koch during 1882. A bacterium that resembles a fungus which multiplies slowly and are characterized as acid-fast aerobic organism, which can killed by heat, sunshine, drying and ultraviolet light.
The incubation period is from 2 to 10 weeks.

Etiology:
1. Poverty
2. Overcrowded Places
3. Malnutrition / Vitamin Deficiency (A, D and C)
4. Debilitation to intercurrent infections prevalent among the poor-decrease resistance against infection.

Mode of Transmission:
TB is an airborne infection transmitted through droplet nuclei.
Inhalation – large number of germs are found in sputum and coughing causing them into th air in small droplets, inhale by the other person and be infected.

Clinical Manifestation:
1. Change in behavior (restlessness, irritability)
2. Easy fatigability
3. Alertness to apathy
4. Fleeting infection of the respirstory
5. Crepitant rales
6. Productive cough
7. General malaise, anorexia, indigestion, general-influenza-like symptoms
8. Fever in late afternoon
9. Loss of weight
10. Malaise
11. Night sweat

Nursing Care:
1. Isolation
2. Health Teaching regarding Tuberculosis
3. Diet
4. Physical Care
5. Psychological Care
6. Medications