Symptoms of tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is an airborne disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is a contagious infection that usually attacks lungs and it can also spread to other parts of the body, like brain and spine.

M. tuberculosis is carried in airborne particles, called droplet nuclei, of 1– 5 microns in diameter. Infectious droplet nuclei are generated when persons who have pulmonary or laryngeal tuberculosis disease cough, sneeze, shout, or sing. Depending on the environment, these tiny particles can remain suspended in the air for several hours.

Symptoms are usually mild and tend to present over a period of weeks, months, or sometimes years. The classic symptoms of tuberculosis in the lungs include:
■ Cough lasting more than three weeks
■ Unexplained weight loss
■ Low-grade fever
■ Night sweats

Chest symptoms are often nonspecific, and can mimic virtually any respiratory condition: cough is almost always present, with sputum production, possibly chest pain and/or dyspnoea as accompanying symptoms.
Symptoms of tuberculosis