Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is a serious infection that usually affects the lungs. It’s caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It’s a very contagious disease, but it’s not easy to catch. You have to spend a lot of time close to someone who has TB for the infection to spread.

Most people who get TB don’t have any symptoms and they don’t feel sick. This is called latent TB. People with latent TB can’t spread the infection to others. But about 1 in 10 people with latent TB will develop active TB. This can happen if your immune system gets weaker (for example, from HIV/AIDS, cancer, or diabetes) or if you take certain medications that weaken your immune system (such as corticosteroids).

Active TB makes you feel sick and can be deadly if it’s not treated. Symptoms of active TB include:

• A bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer
• Pain in your chest
• Coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs)
• Weakness or fatigue
• Weight loss
• No appetite
• Chills
• Fever
• Sweating at night

If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor right away. He or she will probably order a chest X-ray and a test of your sputum. If you have active TB, you will need treatment with antibiotics for at least 6 months to kill the bacteria and prevent the infection from spreading. You may also need other medications to treat other problems caused by TB. Treatment for active TB is usually given for 9 months. People with latent TB usually only need treatment for 2 weeks with antibiotics. But some people may need treatment for up to 6 months if they can’t take the usual medications or if their immune system is weak.

You can prevent TB by getting the TB vaccine. The vaccine is only given to children under the age of 5. It’s not 100% effective, but it can help reduce your risk of getting TB. You can also avoid getting TB by staying away from people who have it. If you think you’ve been exposed to TB, see your doctor right away. He or she can give you a test to see if you have the infection.

Tuberculosis is a serious infection, but it can be cured with treatment. If you think you may have TB, see your doctor right away. The sooner you start treatment, the better.

Conclusion:

TB is a serious infection, but it’s treatable and curable with antibiotics. If you think you might have TB, see your doctor right away so you can start treatment and avoid spreading the infection to others.