[Tuberculosis: actual problems with diagnosis and treatment]

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. It remains health problem also in developed countries. Most common form of tuberculosis is pulmonary disease but other sites of the body can be affected (extrapulmonary TB). As TB incidence falls, the probability of developing active diseases in people infected with M. tuberculosis is higher among imunocompromised people and in people from risk groups. People who present with unexplained cough lasting two or more weeks or with findings suggestive of tuberculosis on chest radiographs should be evaluated for tuberculosis. For patients suspected of having pulmonary or extrapulmonary tuberculosis specimens from the sites of involvement should be obtained for microbiological tests. Bronchoscopy and BAL should be performed in patients that do not produce sputum and with negative sputum smears. Ct scan may also play an important role in the evaluation of patients suspected of having TB but with negative sputum smears. The standard therapy for TB should consist of two months of isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol in the initial phase and of isoniazid and rifampicin given for 4 months (the continuation phase).

Keywords: clinical forms; diagnostic tests; epidemiology; symptoms; treatment; tuberculosis.