An infection from tuberculosis bacteria comes after close contact with a person that is already carrying the bacteria. Persons with intact immune systems rarely become ill. However, persons with a compromised immune system (drug addicted, alcoholic, undernourished, diabetic, or malignant illness) have a higher risk of contracting tuberculosis. It affects the lungs and is lethal if left untreated.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that commonly occurs in developing countries. The infection can remain undetected (latent) as it runs its course, which means that infected persons had contact with tuberculosis bacteria, but the lungs remain unaffected. On the other hand, if a patient infected with tuberculosis bacteria suffers from an lung attack, then it’s an active case of tuberculosis or primary tuberculosis. An normal immune system is capable of keeping the bacteria in check and preventing its spread. The bacteria can survive for years in the lungs and spread at a later point in time when the immune system is weakened. This would be a case of postprimary tuberculosis. It doesn’t necessarily have to occur in the lungs, but most of the time postprimary tuberculosis will manifest in the lungs.
One third of the world population is infected with tuberculosis bacteria, of which 10% will come down with a case of active tuberculosis in the course of their lives. Especially in developing countries, where HIV infections are common, tuberculosis represents a major health issue. The infected person may be symptom-free or may suffer from fever, weight loss, night sweats, loss of energy, coughing, sputum, shortness of breath, chest pains or coughing blood.
Primary infections left untreated can develop complications in the course of the disease. Bacteria can spread to various organs, such as the lungs, brain and spinal cord, liver, spleen, and kidneys and the functions of these organs can be compromised. For this reason, every active case of tuberculosis needs to be treated with antibiotics. Because tuberculosis bacteria slowly divide, treatment is performed over a long period of time, usually for half a year. Besides that, during the treatmet of tuberculosis, the patient should be isolated.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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