Trauma causing TB

[aman]

I'd appreciate some opinions on this since it is true and just happened.

My wife was in a car accident 3 weeks ago that caused trauma to her right side but didn't break any ribs from ER x-rays. She complained her side was getting worse and had x-rays last Friday and they were still clear. She spit up blood on Tues. and Wed. her X-ray showed pneumonia. Her right lung which was traumatized was full and her left lower lobe was filling.

Now they quarantined her this afternoon and said she has severe Tuberculosis.

My question is since she may have been exposed to TB in the past like many of us and had large amounts of bacteria encapsulated in her lungs harmlessly, could the impact have freed the bacteria and caused her problem? I was curious if the accident could be the cause and the guy that hit her be responsible. Thanks. MD's and DO's welcome.

Just aman

[admiral_ju00]

could the impact have freed the bacteria and caused her problem? I was curious if the accident could be the cause and the guy that hit her be responsible. Thanks. MD's and DO's welcome.

Just aman

 

while i'm by far no md or do, i'd say that the above situation is possible, but something like this, would be really hard to prove.

 

more than likely, when she had the accident, she might have come in contact with some other agent that activated the TB bacterium...... but this is just my speculation on this.

[daisy]

Aman, as far as I understand it, (and I'm trawling my old memories here of lectures etc) most of us harbour the tubercular bacterium (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) but it never really impacts on us till we are immuno-compromised . I THINK (and I'm not a medic...just a PhD...so please don't take this as gospel) that since your wife was injured and unwell the TB bacteria probably had a chance to get a grip on her. Here in the UK (or at least in Scotland) we are vaccinated against TB routinely because there was a big problem in the 1950's in overcrowded city areas. My Dad lost a sister to TB in the late 1940's because she got ill with pleurisy, was run down, and it developed into TB. Because my grandparents wanted to nurse her at home (not realising the dangers) my Dad caught it and so did his other sister. They both survived but only because Streptomycin became available. To answer your original question it may well be that the accident triggered the illness but as I say, I'm not a medic...only a PhD. However, my very best wishes to your wife for a speedy recovery.

[aman]

Thanks Daisy, my wife is in quarenteen and I wear a mask to visit her. Thank God it's easily curable nowdays and she'll be out in a couple weeks. Then a year of meds. The state here provides the drugs free. I just want the car insurance to cover the hospital if they are responsible. My wife is better already but it's slow.

Just aman

[admiral_ju00]

just be glad she hasn't caught one of those antibiotic-resistant germs