What is tuberculosis?

[Jjinero]

I needa know what tuberculosis is. Like what it does to you. Make your answer concise I don't want long answers about the history about it or anything. just what it does to you. and how its spread.

[Mischele, RN]

google tuberculosis. Or wikipedia it. Do your own homework.

[Beau]

It is an infection in the lungs that causes them to loose capacity of air they take in. The capacity drops, which means you stop breathing. It is an airborne virus. Coughing, fever, aches and pains (severe).

[streitsm]

TB is most commonly a lung disease. it is a bacteria (an acid-fast mycobacterium if you need to know that -- scientific name is Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that, when left untreated, can kill lung tissue and leave a cavity. it is spread by respiratory droplets (coughing, sneezing, etc) and its pretty seriously contagious. again, if left untreated, it can spread by your blood stream to other organs and your chest cavity and rarely can cause a brain abscess. it is hard to treat, because it is very resistant to medications. for that reason, it is usually treated with a combination of 2-4 drugs.