What is the most likely cause of tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air. This can happen when someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs or sings. Although tuberculosis is contagious, it’s not easy to catch.
What are the risk factors and causes of TB?
Persons with Medical Conditions that Weaken the Immune System
- HIV infection (the virus that causes AIDS)
- Substance abuse.
- Silicosis.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Severe kidney disease.
- Low body weight.
- Organ transplants.
- Head and neck cancer.
What kind of disease does tuberculosis usually cause?
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections do not have symptoms, in which case it is known as latent tuberculosis.
How is tuberculosis spread from person to person?
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a type of bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It’s spread when a person with active TB disease in their lungs coughs or sneezes and someone else inhales the expelled droplets, which contain TB bacteria.
What happens to the lungs when you have TB?
A person with TB may experience swollen lymph nodes. A person may develop TB after inhaling Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( M. tuberculosis) bacteria. When TB affects the lungs, the disease is the most contagious, but a person will usually only become sick after close contact with someone who has this type of TB.
What are the symptoms of active tuberculosis ( TB )?
Active TB: A person with TB disease may experience a cough that produces phlegm, fatigue, a fever, chills, and a loss of appetite and weight. Symptoms typically worsen over time, but they can also spontaneously go away and return. TB usually affects the lungs, though symptoms can develop in other parts of the body.
How does tuberculosis kill you?
Tuberculosis can infect your bowels, causing malnutrition and death, infection through the bloodstream in the membranes of your brains, tuberculous meningitis, this will kill you too, bone tuberculosis usually won’t kill, but maim you seriously, e.g. having a vertebra collapse.
What actually causes death from tuberculosis?
The cause of tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis . This bacterium usually attacks the lungs. However, it can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB can be fatal. TB was once the leading cause of death in the United States.
What are the early signs of tuberculosis?
Symptoms of Tuberculosis. Generally, people only show symptoms of tuberculosis when they have the active form of the disease. Early signs and symptoms may include fever, chills, and loss of appetite. The more specific symptoms of the condition include cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer, pain in the chest, and coughing up blood.
What are the signs of TB infection?
The usual symptoms that occur with an active TB infection are: a generalized tiredness or weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.