Pleural tuberculosis is an infection of the pleural, which is the thin film that lines the lungs, by Koch’s bacillus, which causes symptoms such as chest pain, cough, shortness of breath and fever.
It is one of the most common types of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, that is, it occurs outside the lungs, such as bones, throat, lymph nodes or kidneys, which is more common in people with weakened immunity, such as people with AIDS, cancer or the use corticosteroids, for example. Learn more about what is and how to identify extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
- To treat pleural tuberculosis.
- The pneumologist or infectious disease specialist usually indicates a treatment program of at least 6 months with 4 antibiotics.
- Namely rifampicin.
- Isoniazide.
- Pyrazinamide and etambutol.
Symptoms of pleural tuberculosis include
The first symptom is usually coughing, which is accompanied by mild chest pain; after a few hours, the other symptoms appear and worsen, until the person has shortness of breath and shortness of breath.
Whenever a lung problem is suspected, it is very important to go to the hospital or consult a pneumologist to start treatment as soon as possible and avoid possible complications.
Pleural tuberculosis is not contagious because Koch’s bacillus is not present in lung secretions and is not easily transmitted through sneeze or cough.amounts of bacteria in the environment.
Microorganisms then reach the lip after spreading into the bloodstream or directly from injuries formed in the lungs.Some people may also develop pleural tuberculosis as a complication of pulmonary tuberculosis, for example.
To diagnose pleural tuberculosis, in addition to evaluating the person’s symptoms and history, your doctor may also order tests, such as:
A chest x-ray may show pleura lesions, such as thickening or calcification, or pleural effusion, also called water in the lungs, which usually affects only one of the lungs.To better understand what it is and the other possible causes of Pleural Effusion.
Pleural tuberculosis can be cured spontaneously in some cases, even without treatment, however, treatment is usually done with the combination of 4 antibiotics called rifampicin, isoniazide, pyrazinamide and etambutol.
The fever can go away in two weeks, but it can persist for six to eight weeks, and the pleural effusion goes away in about six weeks, but it can persist for three to four months.
In general, the patient shows a significant improvement in the first 15 days of treatment, but it is important to take the medications prescribed by the doctor even in the absence of symptoms, since bacillus takes a long time to be completely removed from the body.. Learn more about treating TB.
Pleural tuberculosis has a 100% chance of recovery.However, if treatment is not done correctly, there may be complications such as the development of tuberculosis in other areas of the body.