What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a highly contagious bacterial infection that attacks the lungs. It must be countered quickly because the bacteria can spread into other parts of the body (extrapulmonary tuberculosis), including the brain, kidneys, spine, liver, and lymph nodes. There are different forms of tuberculosis, and a person’s risk factor for more serious health complications or fatality will depend on which form of the infection they have and the stage the infection has progressed to. 

Primary TB is the initial form, and recovery from tuberculosis at this stage if the person has a strong immune system. Tuberculosis symptoms may not have been seen yet with Primary TB, but people will still be infectious. With Latent TB they are not infectious but the bacteria are present and may produce an infection in the future. Active TB is when the bacteria are multiplying and sufferers will be clearly sick when they have this form of the infection, plus being highly infectious. 

What Causes Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is the result of mycobacterium tuberculosis entering the body. The bacteria is spread by airborne means, and typically when an infected person coughs, sneezes, laughs, or exhales forcefully in the vicinity of another person who then inhales the same bacteria. Tuberculosis can’t be contracted by surface contact, and you will not get it from oral contact either. 

Those with weakened immune systems are going to be more at risk of tuberculosis, and primary tuberculosis will proceed into active tuberculosis much faster and reliably for these people. Smoking increases the chances a person gets TB, along with the risk factor being elevated for people living in or visiting parts of the world where tuberculosis is still common – Eastern Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. 

Tuberculosis Symptoms

The most common tuberculosis symptoms are chest pain, intense coughing and sputum, coughing up blood, chills, night sweats, chronic tiredness, fever, weight loss and appetite loss. Tuberculosis symptoms for children and teens will be the same as for adults, but different for babies in most cases. A baby that has tuberculosis will often be lethargic, very fussy, and parents may notice a bulge in the soft spot of their head. Babies frequently regurgitating food or having difficulty feeding is also common. 

Tuberculosis Treatment

The standard approach to tuberculosis treatment is to take powerful antibiotic medications like Rofact or Myambutol. Recommending measures to prevent transmission is also a part of what will be stressed by doctors, as a responsible part of tuberculosis treatment is to keep others safe from infection.   

These measures include limiting contact with other people, covering your mouth when coughing, sneezing, or laughing, wearing a surgical mask any time you are in public, and keeping your home spaces ventilated when you are there.