Final answer:
Clinical manifestations of tuberculosis include a chronic cough with mucus or blood, fatigue, fever, night sweats, and loss of appetite. Diagnosis involves chest radiographs to detect calcified Ghon complexes and a Mantoux tuberculin skin test, with protective isolation required for infected individuals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The clinical manifestations of tuberculosis (TB) include a variety of symptoms that result from the infection by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Initial symptoms can be nonspecific, such as fatigue, a low-grade fever, night sweats, and loss of appetite, which is what Marsha, the patient in the scenario, experienced. As the disease progresses, more specific signs such as chronic cough, often with mucus or blood (hemoptysis), and crepitation in the lungs may present. The disease can lead to the formation of tubercles in the lungs. If these tubercles rupture, it can cause further lung damage and increase the risk of transmission. Caseation and the formation of air pockets within the lungs allow bacteria to multiply, potentially leading to miliary tuberculosis if the infection spreads to other organs.
For diagnosis, a chest radiograph can reveal cavities, opacities, and a pattern of abnormal material, including calcified Ghon complexes. The Mantoux tuberculin skin test is commonly used to screen for TB exposure, but positive results require confirmation due to potential false positives from previous BCG vaccinations. Person-to-person spread is facilitated by aerosol droplets from coughing, which is why isolation and protective measures like respiratory masks are necessary.