There is a difference between diseased person and infected person.
At least 9 out of ten people who harbor M.tuberculosis do not develop symptoms or physical evidence of active disease, and their X-rays remain negative(Stuart J. p183)[1]. M.tuberculosis bacteria is slow moving and it will not cause any infection till it reaches the lungs. The symptoms might begin years after the actual exposure to this bacterium.
These people are said to have "Tuberculosis infection". This is inactive form of tuberculosis also called "Latent Tuberculosis" and it is non contagious.
Individual is said to have "Tuberculosis disease" when the person starts showing the symptoms and a diseased person can spread the disease. Contagious form of tuberculosis i.e. when the person with the disease can actually spread the disease is also called "Active Tuberculosis".
An
estimated 5% of infected persons get sick within 12–24 months of
being infected. Another 5% heal initially but, after years or
decades, develop active tuberculosis either
in the lungs or elsewhere in the body. This form of the disease is
called reactivation TB, or post-primary disease(Stuart J. p183)[1].
Signs
and Symptoms :
General
signs and symptoms include
fever[2]
chills [2]
night
sweats [2]
loss
of appetite [2]
weight
loss [2]
fatigue [2]
significant
finger clubbing may also occur[2]
There are two types of Tuberculosis based on where Mycobacterium tuberculosis infects:
I] Pulmonary Tuberculosis
II] Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis
I]
Pulmonary tuberculosis
90%
of tuberculosis cases are the ones where lungs are affected.
Chest
pain, or pain with breathing or coughing[3]
Coughing
that lasts three or more weeks[3]
Persistent
cough that brings about thick phlegm which may be bloody[4]
Difficulty
in breathing is seen (Either because of pleural
effusion : fluid
collects in pleural space OR because of Pneumothorax : the
infection allows air to escape from the lungs into the chest
cavity)(Stuart
J.,p 183) [1]
- In
rare cases the infection may erode into the pulmonary artery,
resulting in massive bleeding (Rasmussen's aneurysm)
[2]
II]
Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis
It
comprises of 15–20% of active cases of Tuberculosis. In some cases,
a TB infection can spread from the lungs to other parts of the body.
TB infections that occur outside the lungs are known as
extrapulmonary TB[4].
Extrapulmonary TB is more common in people
with weakened immune systems (the body’s natural defence against
infection and illness), particularly people with an HIV
infection[4].
A
tuberculosis infection can spread to other parts like
Lymph
nodes(eg : scrofula in the neck)
[4] [2]
Bones
and joints (skeletal TB, in Pott's disease of the spine, when it
spreads to the bones it is called osteomyelitis)
[4] [2]
Digestive
system (gastrointestinal Tuberculosis/ tuberculous
peritonitis
) [4]
Bladder
and reproductive system (genitourinary TB) [4]
- Central
nervous system tuberculosis (Nervous system, also called Tuberculous
meningitis) [4] [2]
Depending
on where the bacterium has spread it has additional symptoms.
These
symptoms are listed below:
Symptoms include :
·
Drowsiness
(Stuart J. p 184)[1]
·
Headache
(Stuart J. p 184)[1]
·
Sick [4]
·
Stiff
neck[4]
·
Changes
in your mental state, such as confusion[4]
·
Blurred
vision[4]
·
Fits[10]
·
It may
lead to coma.(Stuart J. p 184)[1]
- Miliary Tuberculosis : Miliary tuberculosis is a
life threatening condition that occurs when large number of tubercle bacilli
spread throughout the body. Huge numbers of tubercular lesions develop that
cause marked weakness and weight loss, severe anemia and gradual wasting of
body[1].
Symptoms include :
· Tubercular
lesions throughout the body(Stuart J., p184)[1]
· Marked
weakness (Stuart J., p 184)[1]
· Weight
Loss [1]
· Severe
Anemia [1]
· Gradual
wasting of body[1]
