상세 콘텐츠 영역

What is Tuberculosis (TB)?

• Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by bacteria called mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• TB is an infectious disease that usually affects the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain.

How is TB spread?

• When a person with TB in their lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, laughs or even talks with others, the droplets containing the TB bacteria are released into the air. Anyone nearby can inhale the TB bacteria into their lungs.

How is TB diagnosed?

• Chest X-ray: to diagnose TB by scanning the chest with a projection radiograph
• Test of Sputum (Smear and Culture): to find TB bacteria in sputum
• The chest X-ray cannot confirm TB so the patient who is suspected of TB should get additional sputum

What are the symptoms of TB disease?

• Symptoms related to respiratory organs: cough and sputum for more than 2 weeks, hemoptysis, difficult breathing, chest pain
• Other symptoms: fever, night sweats, weakness, weight loss, etc.

The patient

1)  who is suspected of TB on the chest X-ray,
2)  who is confirmed as a sputum smear positive case,
3)  who has any symptoms as above should visit a physician(in hosptial or local public health center) to get further test for TB diagnosis and TB treatment.

What is the treatment for TB?

• The combination of Anti-TB drugs must be taken over at least 6 months.
• Active TB disease can usually be cured when the anti-TB drugs are taken exactly as required for the entire length of time.
• The TB Treatment will only be successful if persons with TB complete the whole course of treatment. Drug-resistant TB can be arisen to people who do not take their drugs regularly or stop taking their TB drugs.

What is multidrug-resistant TB?

• Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is resistant to at least two of the main anti-tuberculosis drugs: isoniazid(INH) and rifampin(RMP).
• People with MDR-TB must be treated with special medicine. Treatment takes much longer than regular TB (at least 2 years) and people with MDR-TB are at greater risk of dying from the disease.

MDR-TB can be developed among patients who

• Do not take anti-TB drugs on a regular basis as prescribed or discontinue medication
• Is failed to get proper prescription
• Have been infected with MDR-TB bacteria in the first place

How to prevent Tuberculosis

TB Vaccine (BCG Vaccine, BCG for Bacille Calmette-Guérin

• It is impossible to prevent Tuberculosis only with TB Vaccine (BCG vaccine) for one's entire life. TB Vaccine or BCG Vaccine is to effectively avoid severe tuberculosis that is highly likely to be seen in infants and small children. The Republic of Korea recommends all infants within one month after birth receive TB Vaccine (BCG Vaccine).