Tuberculosis
(TB): An Overview from the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention
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| SUMMARY:
Tuberculosis (TB)
is a disease caused by Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack
the lungs, but can also attack any part
of the body, including the kidney, spine,
and brain; infection outside the lungs is
most likely in people with suppressed immune
function. If not treated appropriately,
the disease can be fatal, and TB was once
the leading cause of death in the United
States. Today, many people with HIV are
coinfected with TB, especially those living
in resource-poor countries, and TB is a
leading cause of death for HIV positive
people worldwide. |
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The
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
provides a detailed overview of tuberculosis on its
web site.
Transmission
of Tuberculosis (TB)
Not
everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. As
a result, 2 distinct conditions exist: latent TB infection
and active TB disease. TB is spread through the air
when a person with active TB disease of the lungs
or throat coughs, sneezes, or speaks. Nearby individuals
may breathe in the bacteria and become infected themselves;
this typically occurs after prolonged or repeated
contact.
Follow
the links below for further TB information from the
CDC:
