Tuberculosis (TB) meaning

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which primarily affects the lungs but can also impact other parts of the body. TB is transmitted through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms of active TB include a persistent cough, chest pain, coughing up blood, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. Latent TB infection, where the bacteria remain inactive in the body, does not cause symptoms but can reactivate and become contagious. Diagnosis involves skin tests, blood tests, chest X-rays, and sputum analysis. Treatment requires a long course of antibiotics to eradicate the bacteria and prevent the development of drug-resistant TB.