Respiratory Infections Including MDR TB
A respiratory infection is an inflammation of the mucous membranes in your respiratory system (nose, mouth, and airways) caused by a virus or bacteria. The air you breathe can contain various pathogens, including viruses and bacteria, such as Legionella or pneumococci. Common viruses that cause respiratory infections include the influenza virus (flu), the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV infections).
Symptoms:
The most common symptoms that indicate a respiratory infection are coughing, sneezing, sore throat, and nasal cold. Symptoms may also include fever, muscle pain, headache, or tiredness. If you have a respiratory infection, you can infect others around you. People in vulnerable health or with chronic respiratory or heart disease can become seriously ill from a respiratory infection.
Follow these recommendations if you develop symptoms that could indicate a respiratory infection. Doing so can help prevent respiratory viruses from spreading and protect people in vulnerable health.
- Stay home if you are ill.
- If your symptoms are mild, talk to your employer about whether you can work from home.
- Avoid contact with people who could become seriously ill from a respiratory infection. If you cannot avoid contact (for example, because you provide informal care), wear a face mask covering the mouth and nose.
- Cough and sneeze into your elbow. Wash your hands often and thoroughly, and use soap and water.
- Ensure a good flow of fresh air in indoor spaces.
Even if you do not have symptoms, coughing and sneezing into your elbow and regularly washing your hands with soap and water are essential.
Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB)
Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB) is caused by an organism resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin, the two most potent TB drugs. These drugs are used to treat all persons with TB disease.
Who is at risk for getting MDR TB?
Drug resistance is more common in people who:
- Who do not take their TB medicine regularly
- Developed TB disease again after having taken TB medicine in the past
- Come from areas of the world where drug-resistant TB is common
- Have spent time with someone known to have drug-resistant TB disease
How can MDR TB be prevented?
The most important thing a person can do to prevent the spread of MDR TB is to take all their TB medications exactly as their healthcare provider prescribes. No doses should be missed, and treatment should not be stopped early. Patients should tell their healthcare provider if they have trouble taking the medications. If patients plan to travel, they should talk to their healthcare providers and ensure they have enough medicine to last while away.
Healthcare providers can help prevent MDR TB by quickly diagnosing cases, following recommended treatment guidelines, monitoring patients’ response to treatment, and ensuring therapy are completed.
Another way to prevent getting MDR TB is to avoid exposure to known MDR TB patients in closed or crowded places such as hospitals, prisons, or homeless shelters. If you work in hospitals or healthcare settings where TB patients are likely to be seen, consult infection control or occupational health experts. Ask about administrative and environmental procedures for preventing exposure to TB. Once those procedures are implemented, additional measures could include using personal respiratory protective devices.
Do you need to consult doctors or specialists regarding TB including Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB) In Manipal Hospital Whitefield Bangalore?
Dr. Sheetal Chaurasia is the senior Consultant – Pulmonary Medicine at Manipal Hospital Whitefield Bangalore. With experience spanning over 2 decades in the medical field, she is recognized as one of the most reputed Consultant pulmonologists in Manipal Hospital Whitefield Bangalore.