Tuberculosis: An Overview

Tuberculosis, or TB, is a serious, contagious bacterial disease which most commonly affects the lungs and can spread to other organs in the body. The disease is caused by a species of bacteria known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is considered an airborne disease because it is spread when someone with the disease speaks, sneezes, or coughs and droplets containing the bacteria get released into the air.

Signs and Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of TB vary depending on the area of the body that is affected. Common symptoms experienced by people with TB in the lungs can include a persistent cough, chest pain, coughing up blood or sputum, fatigue, fever, and unintentional weight loss. People with TB that affects other parts of the body might experience other symptoms like chronic pain, joint swelling, swellings and lumps on the skin, flu-like symptoms, and vomiting.

Diagnosing and Treating TB

In order to diagnose TB, a healthcare provider needs to first use special tests to look for TB bacteria in body fluids, blood, or mucus. Depending on the results and the overall health of the patient, additional tests may also be used to determine if the TB is active or latent. Treatment of TB generally involves a combination of antibiotics which need to be taken as prescribed in order to ensure the bacteria has been killed and the disease is cured.

TB can be a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, so proper treatment and support is essential in order to ensure the patient has the best possible outcome. If you think that you or someone you know might have TB, it’s important to get tested as soon as possible and start treatment as directed by your healthcare provider.