Coccidioidomycosis (alley fever and Tuberculosis - Essay Example

COCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS AND TUBERCULOSIS DIAGNOSIS Tuberculosis A number of diagnostic tests are usually conducted for Tuberculosis based on the type of the diseases that is being suspected in a patient. Tuberculosis is caused by Micobacterium tuberculosis bacterium. The tests conducted include tuberculin skin test, Tuberculosis blood test, chest X-ray, sputum test as well as imaging test. The most recommended test for tuberculosis is the tuberculin skin test also known as Mantoux tuberculin skin test owing to the fact that it has very little side effect in the life of the patient.

The tuberculin is a form of glycerol extract (Fischbach, F. T., & Dunning, M. B. 2009). Tuberculin relates to an extract of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is used in the detection of tuberculosis infection. Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) is a form of tuberculin which is made of a combination of complex mixtures of antigens. PPD functions by creating a mild as well as delayed allergic reaction that takes place among patients likely to be infected by Tuberculosis. The test is usually conducted by injecting a lower level of fluid into the skin located in the lower section of the arm.

The swelling on the arm is then checked after a period between 48 and 72 hours for any reaction to the skin. Its size is measured using a ruler and the doctors use the measurement for their analysis based on well known established facts. Positive tuberculin test is between 5, 10 and 15mm. The size of the swelling will help in finding out if the person has already been infected by the disease or is at risk of being infected. Positive skin test is an indication of infection by the tuberculosis bacteria while a negative skin test is an indication of absence of the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis.

The test is however limited in some cases especially where it had been used before on the same individual. It is worth noting that the test cannot be fully relied upon but must be supported by other tests such as the blood test in order to establish if the disease is latent or active. The blood test necessary for tuberculosis is known as Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) which exists in two forms namely QuantiFERON-TB and T-SPOT. Sputum cultures as well as smears tests are conducted for acid-fast bacilli in circumstances in which a patient undergoing the test is producing a lot of sputum.

The method can be achieved through fluorescence microscopy.Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever)The disease which is caused by a fungal infection is can be diagnosed through a number of ways which include blood tests, sputum test, chest X-ray among other methods. The chest X-ray test assists in revealing the nodules located in the upper lobes of the lungs which do not harden in normal circumstances. The disease is caused by a fungus known Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii. This is usually accompanied by the CT scan of the lungs.

The sputum test will reveal the presence of body fluids associated with the disease. Tissue biopsy which involves removal a small tissue cell of an individual being testing and subjecting it to a number of tests will further reveal the presence of the disease. Medical practitioners will rely heavily on the information delivered by the patient such as travel history, other ailments, past laboratory test results and physical examinations. Blood test which involves the thorough testing of the blood is the most common form of diagnosis for the disease.

The doctors will be keen to identify any antibody in the blood that is responsible for the disease. In situations in which the test for the antibodies proves positive, a titer which refers to the determination of the level of concentration of antibodies is determined so as to establish the prevalence of the fungus. The blood test need to be conducted periodically as a single test cannot accurately establish the level of the fungus the body and this will call for the application of other tests (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008).

Sputum test is administered by the patient taking a deep cough and then spitting all the materials that comes from the lungs. The sample is then viewed under a microscope in order to view any fungi causing the disease. The proper diagnosis of the disease cannot be achieved with only one form of test as it can easily be confused to be cancer or a form of community acquired pneumonia. However skin tests for the disease have not been established to be accurate for the determination of the presence of the fungus as opposed to the case of tuberculosis which is brought about by bacteria.

The blood test is conducted to establish the presence of Coccidioides immitis antibodies which is tested on a blood sample collected from a patient. ReferencesFischbach, F. T., & Dunning, M. B. (2009). A manual of laboratory and diagnostic tests. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (2008). Nursing. Ambler: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.