PGZ2024
Disease and Prevention
Maastricht University
1
, Problem 1.1: The asparagus fields – tuberculosis
Problem statement: What is tuberculosis?
1. What is tuberculosis and what are the symptoms?
TB is an infectious disease that can be fatal. It most commonly affects the lungs.
Latent TB (inactive TB, TB infection)
In this condition, you have a TB infection, but the bacteria remain in your body in an
inactive state and cause no symptoms. Latent TB isn't contagious. It can turn into active
TB, so treatment is important for the person with latent TB and to help control the
spread of TB. An estimated 2 billion people have latent TB.
- Around 1/3 of the world population has latent TB.
Active TB
This condition makes you sick and can spread to others (for example when coughing or
sneezing). It can occur in the first few weeks after infection with the TB bacteria, or it
might occur years later. Symptoms of active TB:
- Coughing that lasts three or more weeks.
- Coughing up blood (sputum).
- Chest pain, or pain with breathing or coughing.
- Unintentional weight loss.
- Fatigue.
- Fever.
- Nights sweats.
- Chill.
- Weakness.
- Loss of appetite.
Tuberculosis can also affect other parts of your body (it can affect every organ in your
body), including your kidneys, spine or brain. When TB occurs outside your lungs
(extrapulmonary), signs and symptoms vary according to the organs involved. For
example, tuberculosis of the spine may give you back pain, and tuberculosis in your
kidneys might cause blood in your urine.
- Pulmonary is inside the lungs, extrapulmonary is outside the lungs.
- It affects other parts of the body in 10-42% of the patients. If it’s nog in your
lungs, you can’t infect other people, but it’s still dangerous for yourself.
The causative agent of TB is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing bacillus
uniquely adapted to persistence in humans, who are the principal reservoir of the
organism. M. tuberculosis is spread person to person via the airborne route (inhalation),
with untreated patients serving as the source.
2
Disease and Prevention
Maastricht University
1
, Problem 1.1: The asparagus fields – tuberculosis
Problem statement: What is tuberculosis?
1. What is tuberculosis and what are the symptoms?
TB is an infectious disease that can be fatal. It most commonly affects the lungs.
Latent TB (inactive TB, TB infection)
In this condition, you have a TB infection, but the bacteria remain in your body in an
inactive state and cause no symptoms. Latent TB isn't contagious. It can turn into active
TB, so treatment is important for the person with latent TB and to help control the
spread of TB. An estimated 2 billion people have latent TB.
- Around 1/3 of the world population has latent TB.
Active TB
This condition makes you sick and can spread to others (for example when coughing or
sneezing). It can occur in the first few weeks after infection with the TB bacteria, or it
might occur years later. Symptoms of active TB:
- Coughing that lasts three or more weeks.
- Coughing up blood (sputum).
- Chest pain, or pain with breathing or coughing.
- Unintentional weight loss.
- Fatigue.
- Fever.
- Nights sweats.
- Chill.
- Weakness.
- Loss of appetite.
Tuberculosis can also affect other parts of your body (it can affect every organ in your
body), including your kidneys, spine or brain. When TB occurs outside your lungs
(extrapulmonary), signs and symptoms vary according to the organs involved. For
example, tuberculosis of the spine may give you back pain, and tuberculosis in your
kidneys might cause blood in your urine.
- Pulmonary is inside the lungs, extrapulmonary is outside the lungs.
- It affects other parts of the body in 10-42% of the patients. If it’s nog in your
lungs, you can’t infect other people, but it’s still dangerous for yourself.
The causative agent of TB is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing bacillus
uniquely adapted to persistence in humans, who are the principal reservoir of the
organism. M. tuberculosis is spread person to person via the airborne route (inhalation),
with untreated patients serving as the source.
2
