TB is a bacterial infection which can spread through the lymph nodes and bloodstream to any organ in your body.<\/p>\n
It is most often found in the lungs with most people, who are exposed to TB, never developing symptoms because the bacteria can live in an inactive form in the body.<\/p>
But if the immune system weakens, such as in people with HIV or elderly adults, TB bacteria can become active.<\/p>\n
In their active state, TB bacteria cause death of tissue in the organs they infect.<\/p>
Active TB disease can be fatal if left untreated.<\/p>\n
Since the bacteria which causes tuberculosis is transmitted through the air, the disease can be contagious.<\/p>\n
Infection is most likely to occur if you are exposed to someone with TB on a day-to-day basis, such as living or working in close quarters with someone who has the active disease.<\/p>\n
TB was once a widespread disease and was virtually wiped out with the help of antibiotics developed in the 1950s, but the disease has resurfaced in potent new forms, namely multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extreme drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB).<\/p>\n
Today, these new and dangerous forms of the disease have created a public health crisis in many large cities worldwide.<\/p>\n
If you have TB, in its active or latent state, you must seek medical treatment.<\/p>\n
If you have TB, you may have these symptoms:<\/p>\n
* Overall sensation of feeling unwell.<\/p>\n
* Cough, possibly with bloody mucus.<\/p>\n
* Fatigue.<\/p>\n
* Shortness of breath.<\/p>\n
* Weight loss.<\/p>\n
* Slight fever.<\/p>\n
* Night sweats.<\/p>\n
* Pain in the chest.<\/p>\n
Virtually all of the symptoms of tuberculosis can be confused with symptoms of other diseases. Bloody mucus, for example, can also be a symptom of bronchitis or pneumonia.<\/p>\n
An evaluation by your doctor is key to confirming whether you have latent TB infection, active TB disease, or some other condition.<\/p>\n