A 59-year-old veterinarian developed a large, yellow wart on his hand caused by a rare form of tuberculosis called tuberculosis verrucosa cutis. The case, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, highlights the potential risks associated with working with livestock and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment for extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
The author recounts her challenging childhood marked by emotional blackmail from her terminally ill mother. Despite her mother’s dependency and overprotectiveness, the author finds solace outside the unhealthy home environment. She marries twice, experiences a failed marriage, and becomes a mother herself. Through therapy and distance, she comes to terms with her dysfunctional upbringing but maintains a strained relationship with her mother until her passing. Now, the author leads a fulfilling life and encourages others to break free from toxic family dynamics.
A new study has found that undernourished household contacts of individuals with tuberculosis (TB) are three times more likely to progress to TB disease. However, the study did not find that undernourished contacts were at increased risk of testing positive for TB infection as compared to well-nourished individuals. This suggests that undernutrition may not increase the risk of infection with the TB germ, but rather may impair the immune system’s ability to contain the infection.
