What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious disease caused by the germ Mycobacterium tuberculosis and/or Mycobacterium bovis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes most TB in humans. Mycobacterium bovis is part of the tuberculosis family, primarily a disease of cattle but may affect other animals as well as humans. TB can hurt a person’s lungs or other parts of the body. However, TB can be prevented with treatment and it can be cured.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by a germ called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but they can also damage other parts of the body. It is curable with medication, but can be fatal if not treated. TB disease generally develops over weeks to months, and it is curable with medication. TB is not immediately life-threatening, nor an emergency. TB germs can live in your body without making you sick. This is called latent TB infection. This means you have only inactive (sleeping) TB germs in your body. The inactive germs cannot be passed on to anyone else. However, if these germs wake up or become active in your body and multiply, you will get sick with TB disease. When TB germs are active (multiplying in your body), this is called TB disease. These germs usually attack the lungs. They can also attack other parts of the body, such as, the kidneys, brain, or spine. TB disease will make you sick. People with TB disease may spread the germs to
Tuberculosis is a disease often called TB. It is spread by tiny germs that can float in the air. The TB germs may spray into the air if a person with TB disease coughs, sings or sneezes. The people nearby can breathe TB germs into their lungs and get TB infection. People who have TB infection (not TB disease) cannot spread TB to others. Most people with TB infection will not get sick; however, some people will get sick and have TB disease. TB disease usually attacks the lungs, but sometimes it attacks the kidneys, brain or spine. People who have TB disease need medical care because they could die. They can also spread TB to other people.
Tuberculosis (often called TB) is an infection caused by a type of bacterium (germ) called Mycobacterium tuberculosis (or tubercle bacterium). It usually affects the lungs, but can affect other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes (glands), brain and bones. Only TB of the lungs or throat are usually infectious, but anyone who has TB in other parts of their body will be very carefully checked to see if they are infectious to their close and prolonged contacts.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. The bacterium usually attacks the lungs (pulmonary TB) but can attack almost any part of the body (extra-pulmonary TB) such as bones, joints, nervous system, and urinary track. TB was once known as the “White-plaque” and historically was the leading cause of death in the United States.
