tuberculosisand

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The term tuberculosisand is not a standard medical term and is likely a typographical error or a concatenation; if encountered, it should be read in context as tuberculosis or as tuberculosis plus another concept.

TB most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary tuberculosis) but can involve other parts of the body (extrapulmonary tuberculosis), such as lymph nodes, bones, or the meninges. It is spread through airborne droplets when a person with active pulmonary TB coughs, sneezes, or speaks. People with latent TB infection have the bacteria in their body but are asymptomatic and not contagious; about a quarter of the world’s population is estimated to have latent TB, with a risk of developing active disease later, especially if immune function is impaired.

Symptoms of active pulmonary TB include a persistent cough lasting more than three weeks, coughing up blood or sputum, chest pain, fever, night sweats, and unintentional weight loss. Extrapulmonary TB may present with swollen lymph nodes, back or joint pain, meningitis symptoms, or organ-specific signs.

Diagnosis combines microbiology, imaging, and immunological tests. Sputum smear microscopy, culture, and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) detect the organism. Chest radiography can show characteristic findings. Tuberculin skin testing (TST) or interferon-gamma release assays (IGRA) assess latent infection. Drug susceptibility testing guides therapy.

Treatment requires long-term multi-drug regimens, typically six months for drug-susceptible TB, with an initial intensive phase followed by a continuation phase. Directly observed therapy improves adherence. Drug-resistant TB, including MDR-TB and XDR-TB, requires more complex, longer treatment with second-line agents. Prevention focuses on early detection, vaccination with BCG where indicated, ventilation and infection control, and treating latent TB to reduce progression to disease. Public health efforts aim to reduce transmission and improve outcomes worldwide.