What type of organism is tuberculosis

Tuberculosis TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Tuberculosis TB. Section Navigation. TB can be active or latent.

Active TB is sometimes referred to as TB disease. Active TB, sometimes called TB disease, causes symptoms and is contagious. Latent TB can turn into active TB in 5 to 10 percent of people. This risk is higher for those with a weakened immune system due to medication or an underlying condition. Pulmonary TB is active TB that involves the lungs. You contract it by breathing in air exhaled by someone who has TB. The germs can remain in the air for several hours.

Extrapulmonary TB is TB that involves parts of the body outside of the lungs, such as the bones or organs. Symptoms depend on the part of the body affected.

TB lymphadenitis is the most common type of extrapulmonary TB and involves the lymph nodes. It tends to affect the the cervical lymph nodes, which are the lymph nodes in your neck.

But any lymph node can be affected. It can affect any of your bones, including your spine and joints. But over time, it can cause general active TB symptoms in addition to:.

Miliary TB is a form of TB that spreads in your the body, affecting one or several organs. This type of TB often affects the lungs, bone marrow, and liver. But it can also spread to other parts of the body, including the spinal cord, brain, and heart. Military TB causes general active TB symptoms in addition to other symptoms, depending on the body parts involved. For example, if your bone marrow is affected, you may have a low red blood cell count or a rash.

Genitourinary TB is the second most common type of extrapulmonary TB. It can affect any part of the genitals or urinary tract, but the kidneys are the most common sites. It usually spreads to the area from the lungs through the blood or lymph nodes.

Genitourinary TB can be spread through intercourse, though this is rare. People with this type of TB often develop a tuberculous ulcer on the penis or in the genital tract. Liver TB is also called hepatic TB. It occurs when TB affects the liver. It accounts for less than 1 percent of all TB infections.

Liver TB can spread to the liver from the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, lymph nodes, or the portal vein. Gastrointestinal TB is a TB infection that involves any part of the gastrointestinal tract, which extends from the mouth to the anus. Finally, parasites such as tapeworms can find their way inside the human body and feed on blood and nutrients without killing their host.

Learn more about infectious agents and their impact on human health with this curated resource collection. Bacteria are microscopic infectious agents that have a long history of infecting humans, but they also play a vital role in supporting human health. Since their advent, antibiotics have revolutionized medicine and saved countless lives. However, the overuse of antibiotics, particularly in cattle, is causing the rise of global antibiotic resistance. When untreated, this type of staph infection can be life-threatening to humans.

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