In the latent form of tuberculosis, the TB bacteria lie within the body in a dormant state. However, latent TB shows no symptons and is not contagious but has the potential to become active. Once TB becomes active, the disease becomes symptomatic and can very easily be transmitted to others. Once TB becomes active within the lungs, one might experience chronic couging with mucus and/or blood, chills, fatigue, fever, weight loss and/or loss of appetite, and last but certainly not least, night sweats! The longer active TB goes without being treated, one is at a much higher risk for the infection to spread through the bloodstream causing bone infections which could potentially be very painful and destroy your joints, not to mention meningitis, and the possibility of hindering the liver, kidneys, and hearts ability to function properly (Medical News Today, Page …show more content…
The treatment for tuberculosis takes much longer and is much more extensive than any other bacterial infection. The drugs used to treated tuberculosis depend not only on factors such as your age and health but drug resistance, as well as where the infection is located within the body and wehter or not the tuberculosis infection is latent or active. Treating latent tuberculosis most generally can be taken care of in the course of taking one particular type of TB drug. However, treating active tuberculosis will require taking multiple drugs over a longer period of time. The most common anti- TB drugs used to treat tuberculosis are Isoniazid, Rifampin, Ethambutol, and Pyrazinamide. There are many different side effects from consuming anti- TB drugs, all of which are uncommon but can be very dangerous if and when they occur. All of the following mediciations used to treat tuberculosis can be very hazardous to your liver and you should seek immediate medical attention if you experience nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, yellowish color or tint to your skin, dark urine, and fever obvious cause (Mayo Clinic, Tuburculosis Page