Intestinal Tuberculosis - What Should You Know

When tuberculosis infects the lungs in the human body, it is known as pulmonary tuberculosis. When tuberculosis develops outside of the lungs, it is called extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Sometimes, extrapulmonary tuberculosis may coexist with pulmonary. Nearly 55 percent of the prolonged cases of pulmonary tuberculosis develop intestinal complications.

In addition to initiating treatment for tuberculosis, which usually requires taking several drugs at the same time for many months, a patient may also need to be evaluated for other medical conditions such as infection with the HIV virus. Almost thirteen percent of all people with tuberculosis is infected with HIV virus globally.

Though there are no specific measures for the treatment of this condition, nutrition along with drugs must be maintained at its highest possible point. While the treatment of active tuberculosis is long-term, your body will need healthy nutrition more than ever. Also, people who are underweight or malnourished are more likely to get tuberculosis and are more susceptible to reinfection. Malnutrition leads to decreased immunity, wherein your body needs to be as strong as possible to defend itself against those tough tuberculosis bacteria.

Active tuberculosis involving the lungs is highly contagious if left untreated. It spreads through the air. When a person with active tuberculosis sneezes, coughs or even talks closely to others, bacteria are passed through fluid from the mouth or nose that is unknowingly breathed in by others. Within a few weeks of the start of effective treatment, patients are no longer contagious. Intestinal tuberculosis, on the other hand, is not contagious.