TB

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB can affect almost any part of the body, and it is spread through droplets in the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. It's important to understand the different types of TB that exist so that you can recognize symptoms and get early treatment. Let's explore microbially, clinically diagnosed, and Military TB .  Microbiologically Diagnosed TB: Microbiologically diagnosed TB refers to a form of TB where bacteria have been identified in lab tests taken from a patient. The most common type of lab test used for this is sputum microscopy, which involves looking at samples taken from a patient’s lungs under a microscope. Other tests include X-rays and CT scans to look for signs of infection in other parts of the body.  Clinically Diagnosed TB: Clinically diagnosed TB occurs when a doctor diagnoses someone with active TB based on their symptoms rather than by having bac...

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that affects the lungs, but can also affect other organs in the body. It is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is preventable and treatable, yet it remains one of the top 10 leading causes of death worldwide. Let’s take a closer look at the three different types of TB—microbiologically, clinically diagnosed, and miliary TB—to better understand this disease and its effects on the body.  Microbiologically Diagnosed TB  This type of TB is diagnosed through laboratory testing. This includes sputum tests for acid-fast bacilli (AFB), cultures to detect bacteria growth, as well as molecular testing using PCR or DNA sequencing to detect bacterial DNA. Microbiological tests are used to identify which strain of bacteria is causing the infection and whether or not it’s drug resistant.    Clinically Diagnosed TB   Clinically diagnosed TB means that the diagnosis was made based on clinical signs and sym...