Symptoms and diagnosis
Common symptoms are- cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.
Diagnosing TB may include a review of patient`s medical history, a physical exam, a TB skin test (PPD test) and other tests, such as a chest x-ray and samples of sputum under a microscope to see if bacteria are present.
However, detecting multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and HIV-associated TB can be more complex. A new two-hour test that has proven highly effective in diagnosing TB and the presence of drug resistance is now being rolled-out in many countries. Tuberculosis is particularly difficult to diagnose in kids.