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The Airborne Bacterium Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

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Submitted By Sabeeha
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S. and that 26 percent of these were co-infected with HIV.

The progression of tuberculosis varies greatly among people (1:887). It progresses more rapidly in blacks and Native Americans than in whites. The rate of progression depends mainly on the strength of the person's immune system. Active tuberculosis usually begins in the lungs (pulmonary tuberculosis). Tuberculosis that affects other parts of the body (extrapulmonary tuberculosis) usually comes from pulmonary tuberculosis that has spread throughout the bloodstream.

Clinical Presentation: The first symptoms of tuberculosis are usually a cough and a feeling of not being well (1:887). The cough may produce a small amount of green or yellow sputum in the morning, which usually increases as the disease progresses. Eventually the sputum may be streaked with blood. One of the most common symptoms is awakening in the night drenched with a cold sweat caused by the subsiding of a low-grade fever.

Shortness of breath may signal the presence of air (pneumothorax) or fluid (pleural effusion) in the pleural space. About 95 percent of pleural effusions in young adults are caused by a recent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and need to be recognized as such so that they do not progress to full-blown tuberculosis (1:888). In a new infection, the bacteria travel from the lesion in the lung to the draining lymph nodes.
The infection may spread to a joint, causing tuberculous arthritis. The most commonly affected joints are the hips and knees, but the bones of the wrist, hand, and elbow may also be affected. Tuberculosis can also affect the skin, bowel and adrenal glands. It has also been found in the wall of the aorta, causing rupture, and can extend to the pericardium, causing a build up of fluid which may impair the heart's ability to pump blood.

A tuberculous infection of the brain (tuberculous

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