What are the signs of tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis infection with the pathogen goes unnoticed in the majority of cases, rarely there are uncharacteristic signs such as cough or increased temperature (fever). Even if the bacteria manage to establish themselves permanently in the body, the patient will only rarely notice this. Only when the immune system is weakened, possibly years later, the tuberculosis pathogens spread, can a variety of symptoms occur.
The type and severity of the tuberculosis signs depends on which organ is affected in this situation, also known as secondary infection. The most common are the lungs (60%), the urogenital system (urinary tract and sexual organs, 30%) and joints (10%). The involvement of the meninges is particularly dangerous, as this is often fatal (meningitis).
In some cases, especially when the immune system is poor and the course is therefore severe, the disease can cause a so-called B-symptomatic. These include signs of severe unintended weight loss, increased temperature, fatigue and night sweats. These signs are an expression of a consuming disease and the immune response of the body directed against it.
Ultimately, the German name for tuberculosis “Schwindsucht” (consumption) is also based on this. Other possible complaints are prolonged coughing (chronic cough) (with or without sputum), breathing difficulties and coughing up blood. Ultimately, however, these signs are not very specific and therefore not very meaningful, as they can occur in almost all lung diseases.
