Signs and Symptoms of Tuberculosis
The majority of people exposed to the bacteria don’t experience tuberculosis symptoms right away. Instead, the infection may go through three stages:
- Primary TB InfectionThis is when the bacteria first enters your body. In many people this causes no symptoms, but others may experience fever or pulmonary symptoms. Most people with a healthy immune system will not develop any symptoms of infection, but in some people the bacteria may grow and develop into an active disease. Most primary TB infections are asymptomatic and followed by a latent TB infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (4)
- Latent TB InfectionThe bacteria is in your body and can be found through tests, but is not active. During this stage you don’t experience symptoms and can’t spread the disease to others, notes MedlinePlus. (5)
- Active DiseaseThe TB bacteria are active and multiplying. You’ll feel sick and will be contagious. It’s important to seek immediate treatment to avoid complications and infecting others. (5)
The vast majority of people don’t have a problem because the organism enters their body and is then handled by their immune system, saysRobert Amler, MD, dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice and vice president for government affairs at New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York.
Tuberculosis is more likely to enter the active phase in people who have acquired the infection recently (in the past two years). It's also more likely to be active among those whose immune systems are weakened as a result of malnutrition, old age, infection with HIV, immunosuppressant drugs, or among people who are on dialysis. (1,5,6)
TB can also be caused by the bacteriaMycobacterium bovis, which lives in animals and can be transmitted to children who drink unpasteurized milk from infected cows. In the United States, cattle are tested for tuberculosis, and most milk is pasteurized, notes the CDC. (7)
Many people with TB won’t know they have it unless they get tested because there won’t be any symptoms from latent TB. About one-quarter of the world's population has latent TB, according to the World Health Organization(WHO). (8) That’s why it’s important to get screenings if you believe you’ve been exposed to TB.
Once TB becomes active, you’ll begin to notice symptoms. But symptoms may not show up in full force right away. The first thing you may notice is a bad cough that doesn’t go away, or chest pain. These symptoms are easy to dismiss or mistake for another condition, so it’s important to see your doctor if you were diagnosed with latent TB before or have recently been exposed to someone with active TB. (1,5,8)
The symptoms of active tuberculosis include: (5,6,9)
- A general sense of being unwell
- Coughing
- Coughing up blood or phlegm
- Chest pain
- Trouble breathing
- Loss of weight and appetite
- Night sweats
- Intermittent fever
- Generalized body aches
- Fatigue
