TB is very serious kind of bacterial infection which can be fatal. It invariably affects the lungs and the respiratory tracts. The bacteria responsible for causing TB are known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This kind of bacterium is generally present in the atmospheric air. It is highly contagious. These are released in very small droplets in the air and can be transmitted through breathing the infected air.

Besides people who are alcoholics, reside in crowded areas, infected with HIV or have a compromised weak immune system are susceptible to the disease. The most unfortunate thing with TB is that the symptoms of this disease become prominent when it reaches in an advance stage.

Bacterium responsible for causing TB usually enters the body through the respiratory tracts into the lungs and remains dormant for a quite long period. During this period the symptoms are almost absent. Once the bacteria become active, the further stages develops showing some of the symptoms.

The initial stages can be determined with the help of few physical examination the most popular being the PPD test. The advance stages shows indications like coughing, sneezing, blood in the sputum, chest pain, weight loss, fatigue, weakness, lack of appetite, night sweats, chills and fever. In children, however, even the active TB does not show many symptoms except for regular coughing. Even the chest X-ray does not reveal much about the disease. Like adults, as the disease progresses and starts to affect other organs of the body, it is only then the adult-like symptoms like fever, chills, sweating and fatigue, are usually noticed.

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