Tuberculosis
Description
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, primarily affecting the lungs but can spread to other parts of the body. Symptoms include a persistent cough, fever, weight loss, night sweats, and chest pain. TB spreads through the air when people with the disease cough, speak, or sneeze. While many people infected with TB have latent TB, which does not cause symptoms but can become active later, active TB disease is what causes illness. Risk factors include close contact with someone with active TB, weakened immune systems, and living in crowded conditions. Treatment involves a long course of multiple antibiotics to ensure all TB bacteria are killed, requiring strict adherence for success.