Types of Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily affects the lungs but can spread to other parts of the body. There are different types of pulmonary TB, categorized by the way the disease presents itself and how it spreads. Here are the main types:
1. Primary Pulmonary TB
This is the initial infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It usually occurs when someone breathes in the bacteria. Most people who are infected with TB don't develop active disease because their immune system is able to contain the bacteria. However, some people develop latent TB infection, which means they have the bacteria in their body but are not sick and cannot spread the disease. This is also known as asymptomatic TB.
2. Active Pulmonary TB
This is the stage when the TB bacteria start to multiply in the lungs, causing symptoms and making the individual contagious. Active TB can be further categorized into:
