Tuberculosis Articles A-Z
Active tuberculosis is the more serious form of tuberculosis. As this eMedTV page explains, it affects 8 million people worldwide each year. Active tuberculosis occurs when the immune system is unable to stop the tuberculosis bacteria from growing.
In parts of the world where tuberculosis is common, infants may receive the BCG vaccine. This eMedTV page explains how the vaccine is used to prevent tuberculosis. This page also provides information on who should and shouldn't get the BCG vaccine.
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. As this eMedTV article explains, several risk factors increase your odds of developing TB, but there are no other causes of tuberculosis besides this bacterium.
Directly Observed Therapy Program
As this eMedTV article explains, many people with tuberculosis are encouraged to enroll in a directly observed therapy program, which involves taking each dose of their medicine in front of a healthcare worker. This page discusses this program.
Drug-resistant TB is a condition in which patients with tuberculosis don't improve with standard treatment. This eMedTV page provides an overview of drug-resistant TB (tuberculosis) and explains why it is so difficult to treat.