note on tuberculosis
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ious disease usually caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB).[1] Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body.[1] Most infections do not have symptoms, in which case it is known as latent tuberculosis.[1] About 10% of latent infections progress to active disease which, if left untreated, kills about half of those infected.[1] The classic symptoms of active TB are a chronic cough with blood-containing sputum, fever, night sweats, and weight loss.[1] The historical term "consumption" came about due to the weight loss.[4] Infection of other organs can cause a wide range of symptoms.[5]
Tuberculosis is spread through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs cough, spit, speak, or sneeze.[1][6] People with latent TB do not spread the disease.[1] Active infection occurs more often in people with HIV/AIDS and in those who smoke.[1] Diagnosis of active TB is based on chest X-rays, as well as microscopic examination and culture of body fluids.[7]Diagnosis of latent TB relies on the tuberculin skin test (TST) or blood tests.[7]
Prevention of TB involves screening those at high risk, early detection and treatment of cases, and vaccination with the bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine.[8][9][10] Those at high risk include household, workplace, and social contacts of people with active TB.[10] Treatment requires the use of multiple antibiotics over a long period of time.[1] Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem with increasing rates of multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).[1]