Pulmonary tuberculosis in the elderly

Tuberculosis of lung is a chronic infectious disease of lung caused by the invasion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis under certain conditions. The patients with bacterial infection are the main source of infection in the society. Since the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 1882, modern medicine has developed the technology of X light technology and streptomycin, isoniazid and other anti tuberculosis chemotherapy technology. It has formed a relatively complete and mature prevention and control technology, which has made the epidemiological and clinical situation of tuberculosis markedly improved. In 1950s, the incidence rate of tuberculosis in China decreased significantly. However, the incidence of tuberculosis increased again in the 10 years after twentieth Century. With the acceleration of the aging of the population, there is an upward trend in the incidence of geriatric tuberculosis. Because the clinical symptoms of the elderly are not typical, the rate of misdiagnosis is high, and the curative effect is poor. If the treatment is not proper, the disease develops rapidly and the prognosis is poor. The tuberculosis of the elderly is often the main source of infection for the family tuberculosis. Therefore, the prevention and treatment of senile tuberculosis is not only for the health of the elderly, but also for eliminating or reducing the source of infection. It is of great significance to the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis.