What is Tuberculosis? Find Out What You Need to Know about TB Here!

TB or Tuberculosis is a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 

Once known as one of the most lethal diseases in the past that takes away the lives of money, tuberculosis happens when that bacteria eats away your organ, especially lungs. 

However, this type of bacterium can also attack other vital organs such as spine, kidney, and the brain. 

If it is not treated properly, this disease can be extremely lethal. 

Find out what you need to know about Tuberculosis here.

How Tuberculosis Spreads

TB is a contagious disease, but there are still many common misconceptions about how the illness spread. 

Tuberculosis becomes contagious through the air from one to another. 

When someone with a Tuberculosis bacteria coughs, speaks, sings, or sneezes, there is a high chance that the bacteria will get released and people who are nearby might breathe it all in, causing them to get infected too. 

However, tuberculosis is not spread through kissing, shaking hands, sharing drink or food, touching toilet seats or bed sheets, and sharing a toothbrush, different from what most people might expect. 

Also, there is a latent tuberculosis and an active one. 

Latent or dormant TB won’t be able to affect the ones who have it and won’t be able infect other people too. 

However, if someone with a dormant TB disease have a low immune system, then the illness might become active as the bacteria reproduce and grow stronger.

Symptoms to Watch Out

There are a number of TB symptoms to be watchful for, such as a bad to severe coughing that lasts for about three weeks or more, a recurring pain in the chest, coughing up phlegm/sputum, blood, or both, experiencing fatigue or weaknesses, unexplainable weight loss, night and day fevers, constant sweating at night, and loss of appetite are some common symptoms of Tuberculosis to watch out. 

If you or a loved one experienced any of these signs, then it is important to go see a doctor immediately.