What is open tuberculosis
Open pulmonary tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and poses a high public health risk. Patients spread germs through droplets emitted when coughing, sneezing or talking, which can easily infect others. This article will combine the hot topics and hot content in the past 10 days to give a structured introduction to the definition, symptoms, transmission routes, diagnostic methods and preventive measures of open pulmonary tuberculosis.
1. Definition of open tuberculosis

Open pulmonary tuberculosis means that Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be detected in the patient's sputum and is contagious. Compared with non-open pulmonary tuberculosis (negative sputum test), open pulmonary tuberculosis has a higher risk of transmission and requires strict isolation and treatment.
2. Symptoms
Typical symptoms of open tuberculosis include:
| Symptom classification | Specific performance |
|---|---|
| respiratory symptoms | Persistent cough (≥2 weeks), sputum production, and hemoptysis |
| systemic symptoms | Low-grade fever, night sweats, fatigue, weight loss |
| severe symptoms | Difficulty breathing, chest pain, lung failure |
3. Transmission channels
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is mainly spread through:
| Communication method | Description |
|---|---|
| air droplets | Bacteria-containing droplets released when the patient coughs/sneeze |
| close contact | Living in a confined space with patients for a long time |
| indirect contact | Rare, spread by fomites |
4. Diagnostic methods
The diagnosis of open pulmonary tuberculosis requires a combination of the following tests:
| Check items | function |
|---|---|
| Sputum smear microscopy | Rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum |
| Sputum culture | Gold standard, but takes longer (2-8 weeks) |
| Chest X-ray/CT | Observe the characteristics of lung lesions |
| Molecular testing | Such as GeneXpert, rapid identification of drug resistance |
5. Treatment and Prevention
Open pulmonary tuberculosis requires standardized treatment for 6-9 months. Commonly used drugs include isoniazid and rifampin. Precautions are as follows:
| measures | Specific content |
|---|---|
| Vaccination | Newborn vaccination with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine |
| Quarantine management | Patients wear masks and avoid entering public places |
| Ventilation and disinfection | Maintain indoor ventilation and use ultraviolet sterilization |
| Screening of high-risk groups | Regular check-ups for patients with diabetes and HIV infection |
6. Recent hot topics
Hot topics on social media in the past 10 days include: a cluster of tuberculosis epidemics in a school in a certain place, the progress of clinical trials of new tuberculosis vaccines, and the high cost of treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis. The public needs to increase their awareness of open pulmonary tuberculosis. Early detection and early treatment are the keys to prevention and control.
Summary
Open pulmonary tuberculosis is a major infectious disease that threatens public health. The risk of transmission needs to be reduced through scientific diagnosis, standardized treatment and universal prevention. If suspected symptoms occur, you should seek medical treatment promptly and cooperate with public health management.
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