Mycobacterium tuberculosis primarily infects the lungs, but the bacteria may move into the blood stream and seed other organs. Quick diagnosis is critical for infections of vital organs, such as the brain or heart. The gold standard for diagnosis...
Tuberculous meningitis, also called TB meningitis, affects the meninges, which are membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis, TB meningitis occurs only rarely, according to Medline Plus. The...
Tuberculosis is an ancient disease caused by a mycobacterium-M. tuberculosis. The organism needs oxygen to grow, so it targets organs where there is a high oxygen concentration, such as lungs and brain. Tuberculous meningitis is the severest form...
Ascites is the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. The fluid, called ascitic fluid, contains a large amount of the protein albumin, the most abundant protein in the blood. Although small amounts of fluid may not cause symptoms, severe...
Granulomatous diseases are a group of disorders characterized by a particular type of immune response termed granulomatous inflammation. Specific types of immune cells are present in granulomatous lesions, also called granulomas, giving them an...
According to the New Jersey Medical School Global Tuberculosis Institute, fragments found in the spinal column of Egyptian mummies in 2400 B.C. showed signs of tuberculosis (TB). The institute notes this disease of epidemic proportions was finally...
Tuberculosis is a contagious disease that primarily affects the lungs but can spread to other parts of the body. This potentially fatal disease is caused by the bacterial microorganism, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis spreads by droplet...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tuberculosis is a disease caused by a bacterium called mycobacterium tuberculosis that typically attacks the lungs, but can spread to other organ systems as well. Tuberculosis, or TB, is...
The bacteria Mycobacteria tuberculosis causes tuberculosis. Although tuberculosis, or TB, primarily affects the lungs, it can spread through the blood stream to other sites, a circumstance called extrapulmonary or disseminated tuberculosis. The...
Tuberculosis, or TB, primarily affects the lungs but the causative bacteria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, can spread to other parts of the body, including the kidneys, bladder and urinary tract. Urinary tuberculosis can arise because the...
Joint inflammation, resulting in pain, swelling, stiffness and limitations of movement, is called arthritis. There are over 100 types of arthritis, afflicting about 20 percent of U.S. adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and...
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 12,904 cases of tuberculosis were reported in the U.S. in 2008--the lowest number on record. However, tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health threat globally. TB...
Tuberculosis, or TB, is a significant cause of illness and death worldwide. According to MayoClinic.com, about 2 million people die from TB each year. According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," prior to the advent of modern...
Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis, or TB. This is an infection primarily of the lungs, but it can affect other areas of the body as well. The bacteria can spread throughout the bloodstream and lymphatic system to reach distant organs...
Adrenocorticotropin, also called ACTH and corticotropin, is an anterior pituitary hormone which is naturally produced in the brain. ACTH is sold under the brand name H.P. Acthar Gel. It is available for injection into the muscle or fat layer and...
Tuberculosis is associated with malnourishment and deficiencies in vitamin A, C, D and E. Treatment of tuberculosis spans over about six months and your immune system needs energy and nutrients to combat the bacteria. To resist tuberculosis and...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports heart disease as the leading cause of death in the U.S. Many different disorders and diseases affect the heart; some are inherited, most are acquired throughout the course of life. Heart...
Pulmonary tuberculosis is an airborne infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The infection can spread from person to person through coughing, sneezing or even talking. The symptoms of active disease include cough, blood in sputum, night...