Tuberculosis: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease that mainly causes damage to the lungs. This disease is caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) bacteria. It can be transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person, through tiny droplets released while sneezing and coughing. Some common symptoms of TB include coughing for more than three weeks, chest pain, or pain while coughing and breathing, fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite. Several conditions like diabetes, severe kidney disease, malnutrition, and HIV makes a person more prone to TB bacteria by reducing the capacity of immune system to work efficiently. Tuberculosis can cause death if left untreated. Furthermore, it is a leading cause of complications like spinal pain, swelling in the membranes covering the brain, heart disorders, and liver or kidney problems. Its diagnosis starts with a physical examination of lymph nodes for swelling. Other diagnostic methods include blood tests, imaging tests and sputum tests. DOT (directly observed therapy) is a predominant treatment of TB. This book includes some of the vital pieces of work being conducted across the world, on various topics related to tuberculosis. It will provide comprehensive knowledge to the readers on the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of this disease.