tuberculosis: Course of the Disease

Tuberculosis of the lungs usually results in no or minimal symptoms in its early stages. In most persons the primary infection is contained by the body's immune system, and the lesion, called a tubercle, becomes calcified. In many the infection is permanently arrested. In others the disease may break out again and become active years later, usually when the body's immune defenses are low. Untreated, the infection can progress until large areas of the lung and other organs are destroyed. Symptoms of the disease include cough, sputum, bleeding from the lungs, fever, night sweats, loss of weight, and weakness.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Prevention of Tuberculosis
• Diagnosis and Treatment
• Incidence
• Course of the Disease
• Bibliography

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