Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Infectious Disease

Updated on September 18, 2024

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Different forms of tuberculosis have different clinical symptoms. Tuberculosis can be cured if it is identified early and treated promptly and properly with anti-tuberculosis therapy, allowing many to recover completely.

Other Voices

Written by Wang Chun Mei

Pulmonology

47sec

Is a shadow on the lung definitely tuberculosis?

Shadows in the lungs are primarily revealed through imaging studies, a characteristic feature found in radiology. Clinically, lung shadows can be caused by tuberculosis, various lung tumors, or inflammatory lesions, which are also detected via imaging studies. Hence, the causes of lung shadows are numerous and complex in clinical settings. Discovering a shadow on the lungs through X-ray does not necessarily indicate tuberculosis. A definitive diagnosis should be based on a detailed patient history, other relevant clinical manifestations, and additional diagnostic tests. While tuberculosis might be a likely cause of lung shadows, it is not the cause in every case.

Written by Xiong Hong Hai

Infectious Disease

39sec

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis is mainly due to the infection of the human body by tuberculosis bacteria, which proliferate massively within the body, destroying the tissues and organs, and producing some blood syndromes related to combined toxins. Symptoms such as low-grade fever, night sweats, blood-stained sputum, and afternoon feverishness are common, and weight loss is also a common occurrence. Different forms of tuberculosis have different clinical symptoms. Tuberculosis can be cured if it is identified early and treated promptly and properly with anti-tuberculosis therapy, allowing many to recover completely.

Written by Wang Xiang Yu

Pulmonology

1min 37sec

The difference between sarcoidosis and tuberculosis

Sarcoidosis and tuberculosis, although only differing by one character in Chinese, are completely different diseases. Sarcoidosis and tuberculosis share some similarities, such as their pathological changes often involving granulomas. However, in tuberculosis, the granulomas are typically caseating, while in sarcoidosis, they are non-caseating. Tuberculosis shows characteristic features under pathological examination, whereas the diagnosis of sarcoidosis is one of exclusion, requiring the ruling out of other various granulomatous diseases. Secondly, their causes are also different; tuberculosis has a very clear cause, being an infectious disease caused by the tuberculosis bacterium. Meanwhile, the cause of sarcoidosis has not been identified clearly and may be related to a variety of factors including genetics, environment, and chemicals, among others. Additionally, the clinical manifestations of both sarcoidosis and tuberculosis are not specific, and both diseases can present symptoms like coughing, expectoration, chest pain, hemoptysis, low or high fever, weight loss, and night sweats. Thus, it is quite difficult to differentiate between sarcoidosis and tuberculosis based on symptoms alone. Moreover, their treatments differ; sarcoidosis is mainly treated with corticosteroids, while the primary treatment for tuberculosis involves anti-tuberculosis therapy.

Written by Yan Xin Liang

Pediatrics

38sec

Symptoms of tuberculosis in children

Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can affect various organs throughout the body, but pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common. Initially, symptoms typically include some signs of tuberculosis toxicity, such as prolonged low-grade fever accompanied by coughing. Sometimes the coughing is not severe and may be mild, but in some cases, severe coughing can lead to hemoptysis and other conditions. Night sweats are also common, generally presenting with afternoon low-grade fever and night sweating, along with general fatigue, loss of appetite, difficulty eating, and weight loss.

Written by Han Shun Li

Pulmonology

50sec

Is pulmonary tuberculosis contagious?

The source of transmission for tuberculosis mainly comes from patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis, also known as bacterium-shedding patients. This is determined when tuberculosis bacteria are found in the patient's sputum. Tuberculous pleurisy, commonly referred to as tuberculous pleurisy, is not contagious. This is because the pleural effusion is confined within the pleural cavity, isolated from the external environment, and the chances of detecting tuberculosis bacteria in the pleural fluid are very low. Therefore, it is generally not contagious and there is no need for concern. The treatment duration for tuberculous pleurisy is longer than that for pulmonary tuberculosis, typically lasting 9 to 12 months. It is important to follow medical advice and complete the course of anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

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Other Voices

Is a shadow on the lung definitely tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The difference between sarcoidosis and tuberculosis

Symptoms of tuberculosis in children

Is pulmonary tuberculosis contagious?