Tuberculosis (TB), pneumonia, and COVID-19 are three respiratory illnesses with distinct pathophysiology, clinical manifestations
Tuberculosis (TB), pneumonia, and COVID-19 are three respiratory illnesses with distinct pathophysiology, clinical manifestations
MondayApr 10 at 8:25pm
Tuberculosis (TB), pneumonia, and COVID-19 are three respiratory illnesses with distinct pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, evaluation, and treatment approaches.
Pathophysiology:
TB is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which primarily infects the lungs but can also affect other organs. TB is transmitted via airborne droplets released during coughing, sneezing, or speaking (WHO, 2021). Pneumonia, on the other hand, can be caused by various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The most common bacterial cause is Streptococcus pneumoniae (Musher & Thorner, 2014). COVID-19 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and primarily spreads through respiratory droplets and aerosols (Wiersinga et al., 2020).
Clinical manifestations:
TB symptoms include persistent cough, fever, night sweats, weight loss, and hemoptysis (WHO, 2021). Pneumonia symptoms vary but often include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain (Musher & Thorner, 2014). COVID-19 can range from asymptomatic to severe, with common symptoms including fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and loss of taste or smell (Wiersinga et al., 2020).
Evaluation:
TB is typically diagnosed using a combination of history, physical examination, chest X-ray, and microbiological tests, such as sputum smear microscopy or nucleic acid amplification tests (WHO, 2021). Pneumonia is diagnosed based on clinical presentation, chest X-ray, and laboratory tests to identify the causative agent (Musher & Thorner, 2014). COVID-19 is diagnosed through reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests, antigen tests, or serological tests (Wiersinga et al., 2020).
Treatment:
TB treatment involves a combination of antibiotics, usually including isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide, for at least six months (WHO, 2021). Pneumonia treatment depends on the causative agent and may involve antibiotics, antiviral medications, or antifungal drugs (Musher & Thorner, 2014). COVID-19 treatment ranges from supportive care for mild cases to antiviral therapies, such as remdesivir, and immunomodulatory agents, like dexamethasone, for more severe cases (Wiersinga et al., 2020).
References:
Musher, D. M., & Thorner, A. R. (2014). Community-Acquired Pneumonia. The New England Journal of Medicine, 371(17), 1619-1628.
Wiersinga, W. J., Rhodes, A., Cheng, A. C., Peacock, S. J., & Prescott, H. C. (2020). Pathophysiology, Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Review. JAMA, 324(8), 782-793.
World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Tuberculosis. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/t…
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