Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Nearly 1/3 of the world’s population has been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, with 8-10 million new cases of TB each year and about 3 million deaths from TB each year. TB can occur anywhere in the body (except hair and nails), with the lungs being the most prevalent (more than 80% of cases). Tuberculosis is contagious; extrapulmonary TB is generally not contagious. Tuberculosis bacteria are spread by droplets. When a TB patient coughs, sneezes, or talks loudly, droplets with TB bacteria are spewed into the air and are inhaled by healthy people and spread. Ninety percent of people who are infected with TB bacilli do not develop the disease because of their own resistance, but a small number of infected people develop the disease because of their weak resistance. If not treated with western anti-tuberculosis drugs (chemotherapy drugs), 1/2 of the sputum smear-positive TB patients die within 2-4 years after the onset of the disease, nearly 1/4 become chronic infectious agents, and only 1/4 are cured (self-healed). Even when patients heal themselves, the recurrence rate is high, with a reported 5-year recurrence rate of 36.5%. Each case can infect an average of about 10-15 people per year, and each TB death can infect 30-50 people. Typical symptoms of TB include: 1. respiratory symptoms: cough and sputum for more than 2 weeks, may be accompanied by hemoptysis, sputum blood, chest pain, dyspnea, etc.; 2. systemic symptoms (symptoms of TB toxicity): fever (often low fever in the afternoon), may be accompanied by night sweats, fatigue, reduced appetite, weight loss, menstrual disorders. However, it must be noted that many patients have atypical symptoms, and about 20% of active TB is asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and is only detected during physical examination. The main diagnostic methods for tuberculosis are: chest X-ray (chest CT is better than chest X-ray) and sputum bacillus examination. Sputum bacillus examination can confirm the diagnosis of TB, but the positive rate is too low (only 1/3), and the other 2/3 of bacillus-negative TB is difficult to diagnose, and there is no very good diagnostic method, and it depends on the doctor’s diagnosis based on X-ray, other auxiliary tests and experience. Bronchoscopy can help diagnose tuberculosis, and is especially significant for the diagnosis and treatment of bronchial tuberculosis. Tuberculosis can be cured. The cure rate of primary TB is over 90%. Treatment principles: 1. early: early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment. 2. Combination: Multiple anti-tuberculosis drugs are used in combination. Note: It is necessary to use anti-tuberculosis western drugs and can be combined with traditional Chinese medicine, but traditional Chinese medicine alone cannot cure tuberculosis. 3. Appropriate dosage: Use the appropriate dosage of drugs according to the patient’s condition, weight, age, liver function, etc. 4. Regularity: Take the medicine every day on time as prescribed by the doctor. 5. Full course: The course of treatment should take at least 6 months, some patients need 9-12 months, and multidrug-resistant patients need 21 months. The standard treatment regimen for primary TB is: four anti-TB drugs (isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, streptomycin or ethambutol) for the first two months and two anti-TB drugs (isoniazid, rifampin) for the last four months. Most patients’ symptoms disappear completely after 1-2 months of anti-TB treatment, but they must not stop taking the drugs at this point, and must insist on taking a full course of medication, otherwise many will relapse and become more difficult to treat. Various adverse drug reactions may occur during antituberculosis treatment, with reported rates ranging from a few to a dozen percent. Among them, gastrointestinal reactions are the most common, liver damage is the most important, and others include joint damage, neurological reactions, allergic reactions, hematologic reactions, renal damage, and ototoxicity. Therefore, two things need to be done in the anti-TB process: 1) regular review 2) timely consultation for discomfort. Some patients have abnormalities but no symptoms, so regular review can detect them in time. During the first two months of anti-TB, liver function and blood work should be routinely rechecked every half month, and then once a month. If streptomycin or amikacin is being used, renal function and urinary routine should be added to the list of tests. In addition, if the following conditions occur, you must immediately go to the hospital. For example: poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, right abdominal distension or vague discomfort, yellowing of the face or eyes, appearance of rash, bleeding spots on the skin, fever, severe insomnia, excitement, depression, irritability, joint pain, blurred vision, reduced vision, reduced or absent visual field, tinnitus, altered or decreased hearing, dizziness, vertigo, balance disorder, back pain, soy sauce-colored urine. The management of adverse reactions is complicated by the fact that some are mild and do not stop, some require adjustment of anti-TB drugs, and some must be discontinued. Incorrect management can lead to serious consequences. Some reactions can lead to serious damage or even death if it is left alone and the medication is continued, while inappropriate discontinuation or too weak a regimen can lead to untreatable TB, development of chronic TB, and eventual death. Note: Not all doctors are able to properly recognize and manage adverse reactions to anti-TB drugs, so they must be handled by an experienced doctor at a professional institution. TB patients should pay attention to: keeping a happy mood, strengthening nutrition, balanced diet, enough rest, moderate exercise, keeping indoor air circulation, not going to crowded places, it is better to wear a mask when people with cough come in contact with others, not spitting anywhere, spitting in a cup with sterilized water, sun-drying clothes and bedding. Close contacts with tuberculosis patients need to go to the hospital for examination.