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Article: TB in the elderly not easily detectable. (symptoms of tuberculosis in older people) (Special Issue: Tuberculosis)
- Article from:
- Nutrition Health Review
- Article date:
- June 22, 1991
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1991 Vegetus Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Tuberculosis in older people does not follow a predictable course. It is often the reason that many physicians overlook the seriousness of the problem.
The most common symptom is a chronic cough that may have had its origins with what appeared to be an ordinary cold or an episode of grippe or "flu."
Loss of appetite and loss of weight often follow, too often attributed to poor eating habits, especially among those hampered by ill-fitting dentures or gum disease. Swallowing difficulties in the elderlly are also implicated in diagnosing weight loss and reduction of food intake.
Other manifestations of tuberculosis are "night sweats," spitting ...