TB is preventable and curable. It most commonly affects the lungs but may occur elsewhere in the body.
Persistent cough
BIMARIDUR HEALTH ENCYCLOPEDIA
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, most often affecting the lungs but capable of affecting other organs.
ICDA15.9
Affected areaLungs most commonly; lymph nodes, kidneys, bones, spine, brain and other organs can also be affected.
ContagiousnessActive pulmonary or laryngeal TB can be contagious through the air. TB infection without active disease is generally not contagious.
01 • QUICK UNDERSTANDING
What is Tuberculosis?
02 • BODY & MECHANISM
What happens in the body?
Body structure involved
The lungs are the most common site, but TB can involve lymphatic, skeletal, neurological, renal and other systems.
How it starts
Infection occurs after inhalation of M. tuberculosis. Some people develop latent infection while others develop active disease.
What happens inside the body
Tuberculosis bacteria can remain contained in the body as infection or multiply and cause active disease. Active pulmonary TB can damage lung tissue and spread bacteria through respiratory droplets or aerosols.
03 • TYPES & CLASSIFICATION
Types and classification
TB can be classified as TB infection versus TB disease, and active disease can be pulmonary or extrapulmonary. Drug-susceptible and drug-resistant forms require different treatment strategies.
Latent TB infection, pulmonary TB, extrapulmonary TB, drug-susceptible TB and drug-resistant TB are important clinical categories.
04 • SYMPTOMS
Symptoms and warning signs
Fever
Night sweats
Weight loss or poor weight gain
Fatigue
Chest pain
Coughing blood
06 • CAUSES
What can cause this disease?
Caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacteria.
07 • RISK FACTORS
Who may have a higher risk?
1
Close household contact with infectious TB
2
HIV or other immune suppression
3
Young age
4
Undernutrition
5
Diabetes
6
Tobacco exposure
7
Crowded or poorly ventilated living conditions
08 • DIAGNOSIS
How is Tuberculosis diagnosed?
Rapid molecular tests, sputum testing, culture and drug-susceptibility testing are central to diagnosis. Chest imaging and tests for TB infection help in appropriate clinical settings.
Clinical evaluation
Respiratory examination
Temperature and general condition
Weight and nutritional assessment
Lymph-node examination
Neurological examination when indicated
Assessment for TB exposure
Laboratory tests
Rapid molecular TB test
Sputum smear microscopy where appropriate
Mycobacterial culture
Drug-susceptibility testing
TB infection test such as TST or IGRA
HIV testing when clinically appropriate
Imaging and scans
Chest X-ray
Chest CT in selected cases
Ultrasound or CT/MRI of an affected organ for extrapulmonary disease
Special or confirmatory tests
Bronchoscopy in selected diagnostic cases
Pleural-fluid analysis when pleural TB is suspected
Biopsy or tissue testing for extrapulmonary TB
Lumbar puncture when TB meningitis is suspected
09 • DIFFERENTIAL CONTEXT
Conditions that may look similar
Bacterial pneumonia
Lung cancer
Fungal lung infection
Sarcoidosis
Nontuberculous mycobacterial infection
Other causes of chronic cough
10 • EXTENT / STAGE
Stages or severity
TB is commonly considered as exposure/infection, latent TB infection and active TB disease. Active disease may progress from localized infection to more extensive disease or dissemination.
Important:
Staging or grading systems differ between diseases. The information here is educational and should be interpreted by a qualified healthcare professional in the context of the individual case.
11 • TREATMENT
How is Tuberculosis treated?
Drug-susceptible TB is treated with combinations of antibiotics such as rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol according to the applicable regimen. Drug-resistant TB requires specialist regimens.
Medicines that may be used
Rifampicin
Isoniazid
Pyrazinamide
Ethambutol
Drug-resistant TB regimens selected by specialist teams
Medicine safety:
Medicines listed here are for educational information only. Do not start, stop, or change a medicine without professional medical advice.
12 • COMPLICATIONS
Possible complications
Respiratory failure, hemoptysis, pleural disease, meningitis, spinal disease, organ damage, disseminated TB and drug toxicity.
URGENT SAFETY INFORMATION
When should urgent medical help be considered?
Severe difficulty breathing.
Coughing up a large amount of blood.
New confusion, seizure or severe headache suggesting possible TB meningitis.
Rapid deterioration, severe weakness or shock.
If symptoms are severe, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening, seek emergency medical care immediately.
13 • OUTLOOK
Prognosis and recovery outlook
Most drug-susceptible TB can be cured when diagnosed promptly and treated correctly. Delayed diagnosis, poor adherence, drug resistance and severe disease worsen outcomes.
How to interpret these statistics
Survival statistics describe outcomes in groups of people and cannot predict exactly what will happen to one individual. Prognosis depends on factors such as cancer stage, tumor biology, treatment response, overall health, and follow-up.
14 • EPIDEMIOLOGY
How common is it?
TB occurs worldwide and remains a major infectious cause of illness and death.
15 • PREVENTION
Risk reduction and prevention
Early diagnosis and treatment, contact investigation, TB preventive treatment for eligible people, ventilation and respiratory precautions help prevent transmission.
16 • PREPARE FOR YOUR VISIT
Questions you may ask your doctor
1
Could my symptoms represent TB?
2
Do I need a rapid molecular TB test?
3
Could I have latent TB infection?
4
Should household contacts be tested?
5
How long will my TB treatment last?
6
How can I reduce transmission to others?
7
Do I need drug-resistance testing?
Important medical information
BimariDur provides educational health information to help people understand diseases, symptoms, tests, and treatment concepts. It does not replace examination, diagnosis, or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional.
Do not delay professional medical care because of information read on BimariDur.