Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by exposure to a type of bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. There are two forms of TB: latent TB and active TB. Patients with latent TB do not experience symptoms and are not contagious, but still harbor inactive bacteria within their bodies. Patients with active TB are contagious and can experience a number of disease-related symptoms.
Fatigue
The introduction of the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis into your body initiates an immune response intended to help you clear this infection from your body. When this happens, your body uses the energy stores provided by your cells and tissues to fuel this battle, decreasing the amount of energy available to help support you through your normal activities. This can cause you to develop symptoms of tiredness or fatigue. Fatigue symptoms associated with TB can interfere with your ability to complete your daily work or school-related responsibilities. In addition to fatigue, some patients with TB also experience muscle weakness. Such symptoms can make it difficult for you to move about or lift items as usual.
Fever
A fever is a normal immune response utilized by your body to help prevent infection from replicating and spreading throughout your body. Symptoms of fever can also be accompanied by episodes of night sweats or chills, which may cause you to wake frequently throughout the night, contributing to symptoms of fatigue.
Weight Loss
A TB infection can cause you to experience a significant decrease in your appetite. When this occurs, you may not eat as much or as frequently as you usually do. Decreased food consumption can cause significant, unintended weight loss to occur in patients with TB.
Coughing
TB most commonly affects the delicate tissue of the lungs, where the bacteria can cause extensive inflammation and irritation. These effects can cause you to experience symptoms of coughing or chest pain, which can contribute to breathing difficulties. Coughing episodes related to TB typically persist for at least three weeks, explain health professionals at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Certain people with TB may also cough up phlegm that contains blood---a symptom that is indicative of a lung infection.
