Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection that mainly involves the lungs, but may spread to other organs.
TB; Tuberculosis - pulmonary
Pulmonary tuberculosis is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). You can get tuberculosis by breathing in air droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person.
In the United States, most people will recover from primary TB infection without further evidence of the disease. The infection may stay asleep or nonactive (dormant) for years and then reactivate.
Most people who develop symptoms of a TB infection first became infected in the past. However, in some cases, the disease may become active within weeks after the primary infection.
The following people are at higher risk for active TB:
Your risk of contracting TB increases if you:
The following factors may increase the rate of TB infection in a population:
In the United States, there are approximately 10 cases of TB per 100,000 people. However, rates vary dramatically by area of residence and socioeconomic class.
See also: Disseminated tuberculosis
The primary stage of the disease usually doesn't have symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they may include:
Other symptoms that may occur with this disease:
Examination may show:
Tests may include:
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Reviewer Info: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.; ADAM Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, 09/17/2008 |