Tuberculosis is not contagious

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Dong Xuan Ha - Department of Medical Examination and Internal Medicine - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.
Lymph node tuberculosis is one of the most commonly acquired tuberculosis, occurring most commonly in children. Compared with pulmonary tuberculosis, lymph node tuberculosis is not contagious and is also much easier and simpler to treat.

1. Lymph node tuberculosis is a non-communicable disease and is easy to treat

Tuberculosis is a non-communicable disease. Lymph node tuberculosis is different from pulmonary tuberculosis in that it is not spread to others through contact because this bacterium only resides and develops in the lymph nodes, not spreading out.
Compared with other forms of TB, lymph node TB is much easier and simpler to treat. Treatment time can last from 4-7 months depending on the condition of the disease. In the case of lymph node tuberculosis patients with localized, mobile, and non-pustular tuberculous lymphoma, the excision method can be used.
Tuberculosis in children is easily cured with proper systemic treatment, physical therapy and hygiene. Tuberculosis in children should not be removed early because lymph nodes play a role in protecting the body against the invasion of TB bacilli.
To prevent tuberculosis, the best way is to improve the body's resistance, avoid prolonged chronic lymphadenitis, and create conditions for TB bacilli to invade and cause disease. It is also necessary to clean the teeth, extract and cure tooth decay early for children. When diagnosed with lymph node tuberculosis, patients need to adhere to the treatment prescribed by a TB specialist, in combination with improving their physical condition with a good diet and reasonable rest.

2. Path of entry of tuberculosis bacilli

Tuberculosis bacilli have 4 ways to enter the body and cause lymph node tuberculosis:
TB bacilli enter the lungs, then into the blood and then to the lymph nodes and cause lymph node tuberculosis. Tuberculosis bacilli can enter the lymphatic system directly through tuberculous lesions of the oral mucosa or from bacterial infection, usually from trauma. Tuberculosis bacilli can pass through the oral mucosa into the lymphatic tract (primary nodal TB), and can also enter the lymphatic system through the oral mucosa without causing pathology. Thus, the route of entry of tuberculous bacilli is usually due to tuberculosis infection of the whole body, causing lymphadenitis in many places.

3. Progression and symptoms of lymph node tuberculosis

When having tuberculosis, the patient will see the appearance of one or a group of swollen lymph nodes on the body, appearing many in the neck with the following characteristics:

The lymph nodes appeared spontaneously, but the patient did not know when the lymph nodes began to have or enlarge. The swollen lymph node gradually enlarges without causing pain, with a firm density, smooth surface The swollen lymph node skin is not hot, not red. Often there are many swollen lymph nodes in the same place, the big and small are not evenly gathered into a chain. Sometimes there is only a single lymph node that is swollen and enlarged in the neck region, no pain, no heat, no red. Tuberculosis lymph nodes develop through the following 3 stages:
First stage The lymph nodes begin to swell, with irregularly large and small nodes, not attached to the skin and not yet attached, so they are still easy to move.
Later stage This stage turns to lymphadenitis and peri-lymph node inflammation. At this point, the lymph nodes may be fused together into patches, which may or may not be attached to the skin and surrounding tissues. If so, will limit mobility.
Stage of molting The lymph nodes gradually soften, the skin of the lymph nodes begins to become red, swollen, but not hot and painless. When the lymph nodes have turned pus, they are easy to break, if left to burst, they will cause long-lasting fistulas, purple fistulas, forming keloid scars, wrinkling, white warts or fibrous ligaments.
In general, during the course of TB lymphadenitis, the patient's health is normal, except for cases of superinfection or accompanied by pulmonary tuberculosis, bone lesions...

Particularly in the tumor form (hypertrophic tuberculous lymphadenitis), the following symptoms are very rare: A tumor appears in the neck, one or a few lymph nodes are enlarged, then stick into a large, painless, movable, non-inflammatory mass. around lymph nodes, firm palpation. The lymph node tumor gradually enlarges, occupying most of the neck area, causing other lymph nodes (under the jaw, parotid...) to become enlarged. The tumor is located on one or both sides, causing the neck to appear stretched.

4. Distinguishing lymph nodes and tuberculosis

Normally, the lymph nodes of the body are very small, only as big as a grain of rice, pea, or small corn. The soft nodes are located in the surrounding tissues, in the lower fat or in the muscle fibers, so it is difficult to recognize.
When the lymph nodes are palpable, they are enlarged. If the lymph nodes are swollen, hot, red, painful to the touch, and soft, try antibiotics. If the swelling is less painful and the size is smaller, it is an infection of the lymph nodes.
If the lymph nodes are hard, grow quickly in both quantity and quality, feel like lead bullets, and spread like tree roots, this may be a cancerous or metastatic lymph node.
If the lymph nodes are swollen and sometimes are not painful, it may be an inflamed lymph node due to a common bacterial infection.
If the lymph nodes grow slowly, are not painful to palpation, and are tender, it may be tuberculosis.
Thus, lymph node tuberculosis is not spread through contact around, is also quite easy to treat, but needs early and definitive treatment to avoid possible complications.

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