Can tuberculosis be cured?

Written by Yuan Lin Yan
Infectious Disease
Updated on September 08, 2024
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Tuberculosis can be cured if it is detected early and treated promptly with standard anti-tuberculosis therapy, resulting in a very good prognosis. However, it is very unfortunate if detection is delayed or if standard treatment is not administered, as the tuberculosis may recur or infect with drug-resistant strains, causing permanent damage to lung function. Advanced pulmonary lesions or significant hemoptysis can be life-threatening. Currently, the treatment of tuberculosis involves chemotherapy, with principles including early treatment, combination therapy, appropriate dosing, regularity, and completeness, usually lasting at least six months. Common first-line anti-tuberculosis medications include isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide. Initially, a two-month intensive phase of treatment with isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide is followed by a four-month continuation phase with isoniazid and rifampin. During the treatment of tuberculosis, it is important to enhance one's resistance and immune function and to improve nutrition to facilitate recovery. (Use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

Other Voices

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Written by Han Jian Hua
Infectious Disease
1min 31sec home-news-image

Does tuberculosis infect people?

Tuberculosis is a contagious disease, and hearing the term "tuberculosis" inevitably makes people nervous. However, not all tuberculosis patients are contagious. Research shows that among tuberculosis patients, only those who have tuberculosis bacteria found in sputum smear tests are contagious. With a source of infection, the tuberculosis bacteria must be transmitted to others through certain routes. Airborne transmission is the main route of transmission for tuberculosis bacteria. When a tuberculosis patient coughs, sneezes, or speaks loudly, they release a large number of droplet nuclei containing tuberculosis bacteria into the air, which can be inhaled by healthy individuals and cause infection. The degree of tuberculosis bacteria infection mainly depends on factors such as the amount of bacteria the patient expels, the severity of coughing symptoms, and the extent of contact. Therefore, when there is a tuberculosis patient nearby, we first need to understand whether they are in the active phase of the disease, that is, expelling bacteria, and whether they are undergoing anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. If the patient has a negative sputum test or has undergone chemotherapy for a positive sputum test, such patients have very low contagiousness, so there is no need to worry too much about being infected.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
1min 49sec home-news-image

Can tuberculosis be cured?

Can tuberculosis be cured? First, we need to understand that tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In recent decades, many drugs have been developed for anti-tuberculosis treatment. As long as one strictly follows the doctor's advice and adheres to the medication schedule, the vast majority of tuberculosis cases can be completely cured. However, it is crucial to recognize that the treatment duration for tuberculosis is lengthy. Typically, patients need at least six months, while those with recurrent tuberculosis might need eight months. Some patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis may even need to take medication for two years. Therefore, it is essential to undergo standardized anti-tuberculosis treatment. Nevertheless, some patients, due to non-adherence to medical advice, irregular medication intake, or discontinuation of treatment on their own without completing the full course, may face treatment failure. In severe cases, this can lead to multidrug resistance, significantly prolonging the treatment duration and drastically reducing the cure rate, and may even cause infertility. Additionally, some patients may experience severe adverse reactions to tuberculosis drugs, such as significant liver and kidney damage, or have comorbidities like diabetes, liver cirrhosis, or HIV/AIDS. Others may develop severe complications, such as cardiopulmonary disease or respiratory failure, which greatly reduce their chances of recovery and can even lead to death.

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Written by Hu Xue Jun
Pulmonology
1min 36sec home-news-image

Symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis

Now let me talk about the symptoms of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which can invade many organs, with pulmonary tuberculosis being the most common. The main symptoms are respiratory symptoms and systemic symptoms. The respiratory symptoms are mainly manifested as coughing, expectoration for more than two weeks, or blood in the sputum, which are common suspicious symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis. Generally, the cough is mild, either dry or with a small amount of mucus. When cavities form, the amount of sputum may increase, and if there is a secondary bacterial infection, the sputum may become purulent. If there is concomitant bronchial tuberculosis, it will manifest as an irritating cough. About one-third of patients will experience hemoptysis, and some may experience massive hemoptysis. If the tuberculosis lesions involve the pleura, it can manifest as chest pain. Dyspnea is more common in patients with caseous pneumonia or those with a large amount of pleural effusion. These are local symptoms. Systemic symptoms mainly manifest as fever, which is the most common manifestation, often as long-term afternoon fever, meaning it begins to rise in the afternoon or evening, drops in the morning, and then returns to normal. Some patients may also experience fatigue, night sweats, loss of appetite, weight loss, etc. Women of childbearing age may experience menstrual disorders, etc.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Can people with tuberculosis eat beef?

Patients with tuberculosis need to appropriately increase their intake of high-quality proteins, such as beef, duck, fish, pork, and lean meat. These foods can provide the body with abundant proteins and the raw materials for amino acid synthesis. It is also necessary to appropriately consume fresh vegetables and fruits to obtain a rich supply of vitamins, fibers, and minerals. The variety of food should be diversified, nutrition should be balanced, and meals should be evenly distributed. Moreover, systematic and standardized anti-tuberculosis treatment with scientific and reasonable methods, combined with nutritional adjustments, can lead to a cure in most cases.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
1min 8sec home-news-image

Local symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis

The local symptoms of tuberculosis primarily require us to understand where tuberculosis occurs. Currently, tuberculosis in the lung tissues, trachea, bronchi, and pleura are all classified as pulmonary tuberculosis. The primary local symptoms are still respiratory symptoms, with the most common being cough and expectoration. Patients with tuberculosis generally have a slow onset, with most experiencing cough and expectoration that can persist for two weeks or more. Some patients may also exhibit symptoms like blood in the sputum or hemoptysis. Additionally, some patients may experience other symptoms; for example, those with pleural involvement might have irritative cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing, while those with tracheobronchial involvement might exhibit a prolonged irritative cough. Some patients may also develop bronchial stenosis, which can lead to difficulty breathing.