NetWellness Tuberculosis

Non Extensive PTB

Shu-Hua Wang MD, MPH&TM — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:11:00 EST

Question: An impression on my X-Ray Results shows non extensive PTB. What does it means?

Answer: When a person has active tuberculosis (TB) disease of the lung, the TB disease can damage parts of the lung. Some of the abnormal areas caused by the infection can be described as infiltrates (areas of patchy haziness), nodules (small round densities), or cavities. If a person does not receive treat . . .

Ask an Expert: Shu-Hua Wang MD, MPH&TM, Tuberculosis

Brain TB

Shu-Hua Wang MD, MPH&TM — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:10:00 EST

Question: Hi! My boyfriend is a general practitioner! He was diagnosed with brain TB in June. He had seizures and fitted! He is now taking TB treatment and epilepsy treatment as well. They did MRI and scan. They found that he had a swelling in his brain. He took treatment, and got better, they did another sca . . .

Answer: I am sorry to hear that your boyfriend is not improving. I can give you some basic information about seizures and tuberculosis (TB), but more information is needed to determine why he is having more seizures. It is best if you consult a neurologist and TB specialist.

TB of the brain can be very . . .

Ask an Expert: Shu-Hua Wang MD, MPH&TM, Tuberculosis

Renal TB

Catherine Curley MD, MS — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:10:00 EST

Question:

I have had UTI like symptoms for 2 months, but have tested negative for UTI. There is some blood in urine. A cystoscopy was negative as well. Doctor thinks maybe some small stone in upper tract, but I have no kidney pain.

15 years ago I had a positive TB skin test, but negative chest x-ray. . . .

Answer:

Tuberculosis of the GU (genitourinary system) and renal tuberculosis are essentially the same thing. one possible symptom of GU tuberculosis is a UTI symptom with negative urine cultures. there are usually signs of white blood cells in the urine if this is the case. To make the diagnosis of TB of . . .

Ask an Expert: Catherine Curley MD, MS, Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis Diagnosis

Lisa Haglund MD — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:10:00 EST

Question: Hi I went to a gulf country where they did my chest x-ray & then they mentioned that I am infected with TB (not sure active or inactive). When I did my chest x-ray in my country it was negative and clear. However, my doctor suggested TBGOLD test which is positive. Now he told me to do a CHEST CT . . .

Answer: It sounds as if you had one of the Interferon Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs) for TB done, and the result was positive, which is highly suggestive that you have TB germs infecting you, but doesn't necessarily mean that you are sick with TB disease. You will have to ask your doctor what the results of t . . .

Ask an Expert: Lisa Haglund MD, Tuberculosis

TB Treatment Side Effects

Shu-Hua Wang MD, MPH&TM — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 12:09:00 EST

Question: My father is suffering 4m TB. 4m and 2 months he was having fever around 99. Test reports says he had Typhoid. Went after treating Typhoid as the fever still remained. Again doctor suggested 4 sm more tests. It come out to being TB. The doctor prescribed the following medicines: R-cinex 60 . . .

Answer:

Tuberculosis (TB) medications are usually well tolerated but can cause hepatitis or inflammation of the liver. Sometimes hepatitis can occur in patients with a history of liver problem or if the patient is taking other medications that can affect the liver. Sometimes the TB medication may need to . . .

Ask an Expert: Shu-Hua Wang MD, MPH&TM, Tuberculosis

Parenchymal Scar

Catherine Curley MD, MS — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 04:08:00 EST

Question: My co-employees have parenchymal scars on left upper lobe. They were exposed to chemicals used for making soap, and the other one smokes. Does it have any connection for having a scar? Can this be treated or diminished after long time? Please help and thank you.

Answer: The word scar implies that some acute injury to the lung occurred, like pneumonia, tuberculosis, a chemical exposure with lung reaction and that as the lung healed a mark was left that can be seen on the chest x ray. They typically do not go away. Also if they are small reactions, most scars in the . . .

Ask an Expert: Catherine Curley MD, MS, Tuberculosis

Shortness of breath whilst on TB treatment

Shu-Hua Wang MD, MPH&TM — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 06:08:00 EST

Question: I was diagnosed with active TB in March 2011 through a sputum test. My only symptom had been constent productive cough. I immidiately started treatment with the first phase for a period of two months. On the third month I was on Rimactazid 150/75 and taking six tablets a day. On the fourth month I w . . .

Answer: Because you are experiencing new chest pain and shortness of breath, you should be evaluated by a physician as soon as possible. There are many causes for chest pain and shortness of breath; the symptoms may or may not be related to your tuberculosis (TB) lung disease. Only a comple . . .

Ask an Expert: Shu-Hua Wang MD, MPH&TM, Tuberculosis

Minimal PTB with no signs

Catherine Curley MD, MS — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:06:00 EST

Question: I was diagnosed with minimal ptb unknown activity but I have never been showing any signs of it. Do I really have minimal ptb or was my x-ray mistakenly read by my doctor?

Answer: Minimal pulmonary tuberculosis is usually asymptomatic. That means that the only finding is typically a chest x ray abnormality and the patient often feels well. Usually sputum samples are sent to determine the presence of TB bacteria. Often treatment for tuberculosis is started and the xray and spu . . .

Ask an Expert: Catherine Curley MD, MS, Tuberculosis

Fibrotic scar

Shu-Hua Wang MD, MPH&TM — Tue, 31 May 2011 19:05:00 EST

Question: What is fibrotic scar?

Answer:

When a person has active tuberculosis (TB) disease of the lung, the TB disease can damage parts of the lung. When these areas heal, scarring or fibrosis can develop. Fibrotic scar on chest X-ray (CXR) may suggest old TB disease but are not diagnostic. If a person has not received treatment for TB . . .

Ask an Expert: Shu-Hua Wang MD, MPH&TM, Tuberculosis

Can tuberculosis of the lungs keep recurring?

Catherine Curley MD, MS — Tue, 24 May 2011 15:05:00 EST

Question: I have a friend (57) who gets sick for months at a time, is bedridden, and profoundly fatigued. He says it is due to a non contagious form of tuberculosis that just keeps coming back. He did have TB as a child which was treated and he had no symptoms for most of his life until two years ago. He has . . .

Answer: It is possible for tuberculosis to be non contagious if it occurs in parts of the body outside of the lungs (for example the kidneys or bone). There are also infections caused by bacteria that are similar to tuberculosis and are not contagious to others. These include mycobacterium avium ("bird TB") . . .

Ask an Expert: Catherine Curley MD, MS, Tuberculosis