Manifestation of Primary Tuberculosis in Adults

Tuberculosis, or TB, is an infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs. It is spread when a tuberculosis carrier exhales the bacteria that causes TB. People inhale the airborne bacteria that may stay inactive or cause an active TB infection.

Testing

• According to the Mayo Clinic, doctors may use a skin test or a blood test to identify tuberculosis bacteria in a patient.

Primary Symptoms

• An active TB lung infection may cause a patient to cough up blood or cough for 3 weeks or longer. Coughing and breathing can result in pain in the chest.

Other Symptoms

• Fever, fatigue and unexplained weight loss may occur in patients with an active tuberculosis infection.

Complications

• Untreated tuberculosis infections can result in serious lung damage. Tuberculosis that has not been diagnosed may spread to other parts of the body.

Latent Tuberculosis

• Latent tuberculosis, or inactive tuberculosis, occurs in patients infected with the TB bacteria who suffer no TB symptoms. Latent TB can become an active infection after years of inactivity.

Treatment

• Tuberculosis patients are treated with antibiotic drugs that may need to be taken for more than 6 months in order to destroy the bacteria causing the TB.