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Tuberculosis Disease:


 Causes, 

Symptoms,

 Diagnosis,

 Treatment,

 Prevention 

 

Introduction to Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium , primarily affecting the lungs but capable of involving almost any organ system. Despite being preventable and treatable, TB remains a major public health challenge, especially in developing countries.

According to the , TB is one of the leading causes of death from a single infectious agent worldwide.

What Causes Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is caused by .

Mode of Transmission

  • Spread through airborne droplets
  • Released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or sings
  • Prolonged close contact increases risk

TB is not spread by:

  • Sharing food
  • Handshakes
  • Touching surfaces

Types of Tuberculosis

1. Pulmonary Tuberculosis

  • Affects the lungs
  • Most common and contagious form

2. Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis

  • Affects organs other than lungs
  • Examples:
    • Lymph nodes
    • Bones (Pott’s spine)
    • Kidneys
    • Brain (TB meningitis)

3. Latent Tuberculosis

  • Bacteria present but inactive
  • No symptoms
  • Not contagious

4. Active Tuberculosis

  • Bacteria actively multiplying
  • Symptoms present
  • Contagious (if pulmonary)

Symptoms of Tuberculosis

Common Symptoms of Pulmonary TB:

  • Persistent cough for more than 2–3 weeks
  • Blood in sputum (hemoptysis)
  • Chest pain
  • Fever (especially evening rise)
  • Night sweats
  • Weight loss
  • Fatigue

Symptoms of Extrapulmonary TB:

  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Back pain (spinal TB)
  • Headache and confusion (TB meningitis)

Risk Factors for Tuberculosis

Diagnosis of Tuberculosis

1. Sputum Examination

  • Microscopy for acid-fast bacilli (AFB)

2. Chest X-ray

  • Detects lung lesions

3. Mantoux Test (Tuberculin Skin Test)

  • Detects exposure

4. GeneXpert / CBNAAT

  • Detects TB bacteria and drug resistance

5. Culture Test

  • Gold standard but time-consuming

Treatment of Tuberculosis

TB treatment involves a combination of antibiotics for 6 months or longer.

First-line Anti-TB Drugs:

  • Isoniazid
  • Rifampicin
  • Pyrazinamide
  • Ethambutol

This regimen is commonly called HRZE therapy.

DOTS Strategy

The ensures patients take medicines under supervision to prevent drug resistance.

Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

MDR-TB (Multi-Drug Resistant TB)

  • Resistant to Isoniazid and Rifampicin

XDR-TB (Extensively Drug Resistant TB)

  • Resistant to first-line and some second-line drugs

Drug resistance develops due to:

  • Incomplete treatment
  • Irregular medication intake
  • Wrong drug combinations

Prevention of Tuberculosis

1. BCG Vaccination

The protects children from severe TB forms.

2. Early Detection and Treatment

  • Reduces spread

3. Good Ventilation

  • Reduces airborne transmission

4. Nutritional Support

  • Strengthens immunity

5. Mask Use in Active TB

  • Prevents droplet spread

Tuberculosis in India

India has one of the highest TB burdens globally. The Government of India runs the aiming to eliminate TB.

Key initiatives include:

  • Free diagnosis
  • Free anti-TB drugs
  • Nutritional support schemes
  • Digital patient monitoring

Complications of Untreated Tuberculosis

  • Lung damage
  • Hemoptysis (severe bleeding)
  • Meningitis
  • Organ failure
  • Death

Early diagnosis significantly improves prognosis.

Fact sheet 

Tuberculosis is a serious but curable infectious disease. Awareness, early diagnosis, complete treatment, and public health measures are essential to eliminate TB. With proper medication adherence and preventive strategies, TB can be controlled and eventually eradicated.

Tuberculosis disease, TB symptoms, TB treatment, causes of tuberculosis, pulmonary TB, extrapulmonary TB, MDR-TB, TB prevention, TB diagnosis, BCG vaccine, TB in India.

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