Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease affecting many countries and is the most common cause of infectious disease-related mortality worldwide. This disease is caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis and most commonly affects the lungs. However, it can also occur in other organs and is considered extrapulmonary if it involves the abdomen, genitourinary tract, bones, joints, and meninges.
Classic symptoms of tuberculosis include cough, fever, night sweats, hemoptysis, chest pains, fatigue, and unintentional weight loss or anorexia. In a person complaining of such symptoms, tuberculosis should be considered. Aside from the classic symptoms, basic diagnostics include a chest x-ray, sputum AFB, and TB GeneXpert are requested to rule in such diagnosis.
Patients with tuberculosis often suffer from severe weight loss. Although the primary mechanism is uncertain, inflammatory mediators and nutritional status play a role in immunity suppression. This contributes to further weight loss and can be detrimental to health outcomes.
Tuberculosis is curable with medications. However, relapse may occur, especially in immunocompromised patients. Therefore, continuous monitoring is warranted, especially in those at higher risk of recurrence.
