Tuberculosis (TB)

Is a bacterial infection of the lungs caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, characterized by the formation of lesions (tubercles) and necrosis in the lung tissues and other organs.


Any of the infectious diseases of man and other animals caused by species of Mycobacterium.


Any of the infectious diseases of man and other animals due to species of Mycobacterium and marked by formation of tubercles and caseous necrosis in tissues of any organs, usually the lung.


An infectious disease caused by the tubercle bacillus. It may affect any tissue of the body, but especially occurs in the lungs.


A bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that affects the lungs and other organs (often chronic and fatal if not treated with antibiotics).


A disease of the lung caused by the presence of- Mycobacterium tuberculosis.


An infectious disease caused by the tuberculosis bacillus, where infected lumps form in the tissue.


Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis, also called tubercle bacilli (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 1994). Microscopic droplets containing tubercle bacilli may be expelled into the air when a person with infectious TB disease coughs or sneezes. Other people may inhale this air and become infected (New Jersey Medical School National Tuberculosis Center [NJMS], 1997). However, prolonged exposure to a person with TB disease is usually necessary for transmission to occur (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [NIAID], 1999). Moreover, it is important to distinguish between TB infection and TB disease, as they refer to different presentations of TB. These terms are not used interchangeably in this text.


An infectious bacterial disease that was once a major childhood killer and is still an active threat in many parts of the world, as in inner-city areas with poor nutrition and sanitary conditions or among people who have diseases that lower their resistance, such as diabetes mellitus or aids. The United States still has some 20,000 new cases of tuberculosis a year, and children are especially at risk if they have contact with anyone, particularly a family member, who has the infection, since it is spread by airborne droplets from sneezes or coughs. Such children are often given a BCG (bacille Calmette-Guerin) vaccine and sometimes preventive antibiotics as well.


Chronic infection with bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, transmitted by inhalation or ingestion of droplets; it usually affects the lungs but may also affect other organs. Early symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, fatigue, and vague chest pain; later, night sweats, difficulty in breathing, production of purulent sputum, and signs of severe lung involvement occur. Treatment is by antituberculosis drugs (e.g., isoniazid), rest, and proper nutrition.


A chronic granulomatous infection caused by an acid-fast bacillus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis.


An infectious disease caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It generally attacks the lungs, but may also affect other organs, such as the stomach, lymph nodes, or bones. The disease is transmitted primarily by inhalation of droplets emitted by an infected person. It is treated with drugs.


An infectious bacterial disease that usually affects the lungs. Tuberculosis, or TB, may also involve other parts of the body in up to one third of all cases. The lymph nodes, urinary tract, bones, joints, the membrane that covers the brain (called the meninges), and the membrane that covers the digestive organs (called the peritoneum) may be affected. The bacteria that cause tuberculosis are transmitted from one person to another via contaminated fluid droplets that become airborne when an infected person coughs, sneezes, laughs, or talks. TB is usually transmitted among family members or close associates living or working together in closed spaces over a long period. Transmission of the bacteria in an airplane is rare but has occurred. TB is not spread by contact with surfaces or objects that have been touched or used by an infected person.


An infectious disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis (first identified by Koch in 1882) and characterized by the formation of nodular lesions ( tubercles) in the tissues.


Tuberculosis results form infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The lungs are the site most often affected, but most organs in the body can be involved in tuberculosis. The other common sites are lymph nodes, bones, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, skin and meninges. The weight loss and wasting associated with tuberculosis before treatment was available led to the disease’s previous name of consumption. Scrofula and lupus vulgaris are skin manifestations of the disease.


An infectious disease caused by the tubercle bacillus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and characterized pathologically by inflammatory infiltration, formation of tubercles, caseation, necrosis, abscesses, fibrosis, and calcification. It most commonly affects the respiratory system, but other parts of the body such as the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts, bones, joints, nervous system, lymph nodes, and skin may also become infected. Fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals (esp. cattle) are subject to the disease. Three types of the tubercle bacillus exist: human, bovine, and avian. Humans may become infected by any of the three types, but in the U.S. the human type predominates. Infection usually is acquired from contact with an infected person or an infected cow or through drinking contaminated milk. In the U.S., about 10 to 15 million persons have been infected with tuberculosis. In 2005 about 14,000 active cases were reported. Worldwide, about 2 billion people harbor the infection; about 9 million have active disease, and an estimated 1.7 million die from TB each year. The percentage of drug-resistant TB cases varies internationally.


A disease caused by bacteria that are transmitted through coughing or sneezing.


An infectious illness primarily impacting the lungs, although it can also affect various other body parts. Common symptoms include fever, weight loss, and the expulsion of blood through coughing.


An infectious illness commonly referred to as TB is caused in humans by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.


TB typically spreads through airborne droplets that are released when a person who is infected coughs or sneezes. These inhaled droplets reach the lungs, where the bacteria begin to multiply.


Normally, the immune system manages to contain the infection at this stage, but sometimes it can spread to the lymph nodes. The infection can also disseminate to other organs through the bloodstream, potentially resulting in severe forms of the disease like miliary tuberculosis. It may also cause conditions such as meningitis, which is inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes, bone infections, genitourinary infections, or pericarditis, which is inflammation of the heart’s outer lining.


In some instances, bacteria that have been kept dormant by the immune system can reactivate much later, sometimes months or even years after the initial infection. This reactivation can happen when factors like old age, deteriorating health, or weakened immunity make the individual more susceptible to the infection. When this occurs, the infection may gradually cause harm to the lungs.


The initial infection often shows no symptoms. However, as the infection advances in the lungs, it may lead to coughing, which can include coughing up blood, as well as chest pain, shortness of breath, fever, sweating, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Additional complications like pleural effusion, where fluid accumulates between the lung and chest wall, or pneumonia may also arise. The damage to the lungs can be life-threatening.


Diagnosis is based on the observed symptoms and signs, a chest X-ray, and tests conducted on sputum samples. In some cases, a bronchoscopy may be performed to collect samples for bacterial culture.


Treatment generally involves a regimen of three or four different medications, administered daily for an initial two-month period, followed by daily doses of isoniazid and rifampicin for an additional four months. However, there’s a growing resistance of TB bacteria to these standard drugs, so alternative medications may be needed and the treatment period may be extended. If patients complete the full course of medications, recovery is usually achieved.


Tuberculosis prevention is possible through BCG vaccination, which is often administered shortly after birth or typically between the ages of 10 and 14. Individuals who have been in contact with an infected person are identified and, if needed, given early treatment to minimize the chances of further spreading the infection.


An infectious disease caused by the bacterium Myobacterium tuberculosis, commonly known as the tubercle bacillus. It may effect the lungs, the intestinal tract, the lymphatic glands, the bones, the skin, and the brain. However, more than 90 percent of deaths from tuberculosis in the United States and more than 80 percent in Great Britain are due to tuberculosis of the lungs. It is transmitted from person to person and from animals to man, and it is for this reason that children up to the age of about five years should drink only cow’s milk that has been boiled or pasteurized. The germ is contained within a natural envelope which was previously impervious to drugs, but modern drugs can penetrate this envelope and destroy the germ, thus avoiding the necessity for many drastic surgical operations. The symptoms vary according to the site of the lesion, but wasting, loss of strength, anemia, fever, and sweating are among those ordinarily observed. Tuberculosis of the lungs may be insidious, and the first warning may be the sudden onset of a pleural effusion, spitting of blood, or a cough with loss of weight and debility. Known since time immemorial as phthisis, the name tuberculosis was first introduced by Schonlein in 1834. active tuberculosis. Tuberculosis which is actively progressing.


 


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