Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attacks the lungs, but they can also damage other parts of the body. TB is one of the top 10 causes of death and the leading cause from a single infectious agent (above HIV/AIDS).
There are difference between disease and infecions:
| Type of TB | Latent TB Infection | TB Disease |
|---|---|---|
| Patients Condition | Shows no signs of sickness | Usually feels sick |
| Symptoms | No noted symptoms | Has noted symptoms |
| Spreading of TB bacteria | Cannot infect others | May infect others |
| Detection method | Tested positive in TB skin test or TB blood test | Tested positive in TB skin test or TB blood test |
| Chest X-ray | Normal result | Abnormal result |
| Sputum smear test | Negative | Positive |
| Treatment | Should consider treatment for latent TB infection to prevent TB disease | Needed to cure TB disease |