FACTS ABOUT TB TB is a bacterial disease usually caused by an organism called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The TB bacteria usually affect the lungs, but can affect other parts of the body. If you are infected with TB bacteria you won’t necessarily become sick, because you can have either latent TB or active TB disease.1 Latent or inactive TB infection (LTBI) occurs when a person carries the TB bacteria within their body, but the bacteria are present in very small numbers and are kept under control by the body’s immune system and do not cause disease. Active TB or TB disease occurs when the TB bacteria have started to multiply and they become numerous enough to overcome the bodys immune system or defences. Active TB disease usually causes a person to feel ill, and in certain circumstances they are able to pass the TB bacteria on to other people.5 TB is spread through the air from one person to another. A person can get TB by inhaling TB bacteria that have been released into the air by a person with active TB. When a person with active TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, or talks, droplets containing the TB bacteria are released into the air.
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 09:31:25 +0000
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