Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a contagious infection that primarily affects the lungs. It is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While pulmonary tuberculosis is curable, it can lead to serious complications in certain people--infants, the elderly, those with weakened immune systems--and in those who do not get prompt medical treatment.
Common Complications
While those in the primary stage of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) often do not have symptoms, those whose disease progresses to secondary PTB will develop a range of potentially serious but treatable complications. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and TB Alert, PTB can lead to fluid in the lungs (pleural effusion), hemorrhage in the lungs which causes you to cough up blood, accumulation of pus in the chest cavity (empyema), chest pain, difficulty breathing, excessive sweating (particularly at night), fever, fatigue and unexplained weight loss. If left untreated, PTB can lead to permanent lung damage. Those with advanced disease may also develop clubbing of the fingers or toes, enlarged and tender lymph nodes and unusual breath sounds (crackles).
Miliary or Disseminated Tuberculosis
According to the National Institutes of Health, most people who get primary tuberculosis in the United States will get better and have no further worsening of the disease; however, those with weakened immune systems may not be able to keep the tuberculosis contained to the lungs, leading to disseminated (miliary) tuberculosis. Individuals with disseminated tuberculosis develop small areas of bacterial infection (granulomas) in the lungs and vital organs. Many areas of the body could become infected, including the bones, skin, stomach, small bowel, lining of the brain and spinal cord, reproductive organs, eyes, lining of the heart (pericardium) or abdominal cavity (peritoneum). Symptoms of disseminated tuberculosis include an enlarged spleen, lymph nodes and liver (all palpable upon physical exam), abdominal swelling, joint pain, pale skin caused by anemia, cough, general ill feeling and physical weakness (malaise), fever, weight loss, shortness of breath, chills and sweating.
Other Complications
According to the NIH, pulmonary tuberculosis may lead to additional complications if it is not treated promptly or if it progresses. Those who develop disseminated tuberculosis may develop skin rashes and ulcerated granulomas (bacterial-infused lesions) on the body or face. PTB can also lead to a change in pigment of some bodily fluids, causing the urine and tears to turn an orange or brown color. Some people may develop vision problems, including central retinal vein occlusion (a condition in which the blood supply to the retina is cut off, causing vision loss or blindness) and acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy--an inflammatory eye disease involving the formation of lesions in the back of the eye and retina that can lead to permanent vision loss. Medications used to treat the disease can also lead to liver damage.
References
- NIH: Pulmonary Tuberculosis
- "Eye;" Acute Posterior Multifocal Placoid Pigment Epitheliopathy with Retinal Vasculitis and Papillitis; A.M. Abu El-Asrar and A H Aljazairy; 2002
- "British Journal of Ophthalmology;" Pulmonary Tuberculosis Presenting with Central Retinal Vein Occlusion; D.G. Fullerton et al.; 2007
