Tuberculosis is a serious health problem globally but uncommon in most developed countries. There has been a steady decline in tuberculosis cases in the United States and the disease causes less than 600 deaths a year. Nevertheless tuberculosis is still a global health concern as the disease can be easily spread and the rise of multi-drug resistant TB means that the disease is becoming more difficult to treat. How To Spot Tuberculosis Most people believe that tuberculosis is easily spotted by a persistent cough, especially with coughing up bloody sputum. While this is a characteristic sign of pulmonary tuberculosis (lung TB), the infection can also affect other parts of the body where there may be no cough present. Tuberculosis infections outside of the lung are known as extra-pulmonary TB. It can affect any part of the body including the bone, spine, kidney, brain, eyes, skin and other organs. However, pulmonary tuberculosis (lung TB) is by far the more common.  The microbe responsible for TB, known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is easily spread from an infected person to an uninfected person through droplets during coughing. The microbe can then enter the lung of an uninfected person but may still not cause the … Continue reading 6 Signs of Tuberculosis (TB) and Tests for Diagnosis