Signs and Symptoms of Tuberculosis

Courtney Battaglia, RN
·7 min read
3
<p>The Good Brigade / Getty Images</p>

The Good Brigade / Getty Images

Medically reviewed by Kashif J. Piracha, MD

Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne bacterial infection, meaning that it can spread from person to person through the air. When a person with tuberculosis sneezes, coughs, or even talks or sings, the harmful bacteria can travel through the air and infect anyone near them. If you contract tuberculosis, the bacteria commonly attacks the lungs, which may lead to symptoms such as coughing, fever, night sweats, and weakness, among others.

There are two primary types of tuberculosis infections: latent and active. People with latent TB have the bacteria in their body, but don't yet experience symptoms and can't spread the infection to others. Meanwhile, people with active TB do develop symptoms and can pass the infection to those nearby. It's worth noting that if you have latent TB, you can later develop active TB if you experience intense stress, have an illness, or develop a weakened immune system.

Common Symptoms

If you become infected with the bacteria that causes tuberculosis, you might not have any symptoms at first—or it could take some time for symptoms to develop. If you do experience symptoms, the hallmark signs of tuberculosis include:

Latent Tuberculosis Symptoms

Those with strong immune system functioning can sometimes stop TB-related bacteria from moving from the latent stage to the active stage. If you have latent TB, you still have harmful bacteria living inside your body. But, you won't experience any symptoms—nor can you pass on the infection to others.

However, if you take a TB skin or blood test, you will receive a positive test result. If you test positive, your healthcare provider will likely recommend options to treat the latent infection. If you leave your latent TB untreated, you can eventually develop active TB, which can cause you to experience symptoms.

Active Tuberculosis Symptoms

Active TB means that bacteria are growing inside your body and causing you to experience symptoms. The exact symptoms you have will depend on which organ the bacteria are attacking. Tuberculosis commonly affects the lungs, but bacteria can spread to other organs as well. If you have active TB, you may experience the following symptoms:

  • A cough that has lasted more than three weeks

  • Coughing up sputum (mucus from the lungs) or blood

  • Chest pain

  • Fever

  • Chills

  • Night sweats

  • Body aches or weakness

  • Unintentional weight loss

Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Symptoms

When tuberculosis bacteria attack organs outside of your lungs, the infection becomes known as extrapulmonary tuberculosis—a type of active TB. You can develop extrapulmonary TB if bacteria from your lungs spread to the bloodstream or nearby organs. There are several types of extrapulmonary TB infections, and the symptoms you experience will depend on which organ the bacteria is affecting.

Miliary Tuberculosis

When TB bacteria spread to the bloodstream and travel throughout the body, you develop a type of TB called miliary tuberculosis. Symptoms of this infection include:

Genitourinary Tuberculosis

Genitourinary tuberculosis occurs when bacteria infect the genitals or the organs of the urinary system, such as the kidneys and bladder. Symptoms of a TB infection in the kidney and bladder include:

If bacteria spread to your genitals, those assigned male at birth may notice an enlarged scrotum, whereas those assigned female at birth can experience chronic pelvic pain or pregnancy complications.

Meningeal Tuberculosis

Also known as TB meningitis, bacteria that spreads to the central nervous system can cause inflammation in the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The early symptoms of meningeal TB can look like symptoms of other conditions, such as the common cold or flu. That's why notifying your healthcare provider of any possible exposure to TB is critical.

If you have meningeal TB, you may experience:

Peritoneal Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis of the abdomen happens when TB-related bacteria attack the stomach lining. TB peritonitis is rare—however, symptoms can be mild and include:

Tuberculous Lymphadenitis

When bacteria spread to your lymph nodes, you may develop a form of TB called tuberculous lymphadenitis. Generally, this type of TB affects the lymph nodes on the back of your neck and above the collar bones. As a result, you may notice the following symptoms:

Cutaneous Tuberculosis

In cutaneous tuberculosis, TB-related bacteria has spread to your skin. It's worth noting that this type of TB is often rare. If you do develop cutaneous TB, you might notice:

Bone and Joint Tuberculosis

If you develop tuberculosis of the bones and joints—sometimes referred to as skeletal TB—you may experience these symptoms:

Gastrointestinal Tuberculosis

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a passageway in your body that connects organs from your mouth to your anus. Generally, TB bacteria would have to be in your system for a long time and spread far for you to develop gastrointestinal TB. This type of TB is also one of the most rare forms, accounting for only 1% to 3% of TB cases around the world.

If you develop symptoms, you may notice:

Liver Tuberculosis

People who have advanced tuberculosis of the lungs and miliary TB can later develop liver (or, hepatic) tuberculosis—especially if their infection is left untreated. This can cause:

  • Jaundice (or, the yellowing of the eyes and skin)

  • An enlarged liver

  • Fever

  • Stomach pain

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

Tuberculosis is a serious infection. You may not even know you have bacteria in your body that lead to TB unless you receive a positive result. If you do experience symptoms of TB or come into contact with someone who has the infection, it's critical to contact your healthcare provider and receive treatment—as this can prevent you from spreading bacteria to uninfected people. It's best to see your provider as soon as you develop a prolonged cough, fever, and unexplained weight loss.

A Quick Review

Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne bacterial infection that can spread easily to others when someone with the condition coughs or sneezes. There are two types of TB: latent (meaning, you don't have symptoms yet) and active (meaning, you have symptoms and can spread the infection to others).

Generally, TB affects your lungs and causes symptoms like a persistent cough, fever, and night sweats. But, bacteria can spread to other organs and cause an advanced form of active TB known as extrapulmonary TB. The exact type of extrapulmonary TB you have will depend on the organ the bacteria is affecting. This may include your skin, bloodstream, stomach lining, kidneys, bladder, or brain, among others.

If you have symptoms of TB or recently were exposed to the infection, it's essential to contact your healthcare provider right away to get the treatment you need. Not only will this help improve your condition, but also prevent you from spreading the infection to others.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 3 stages of TB?

The three stages of TB are primary infection, latent infection, and active infection.

How long can you have TB without knowing it?

People with weak immune systems develop symptoms quickly. But those with stronger immune systems can have the TB bacteria in their body for years before experiencing symptoms.

Do people with TB get quarantined?

People with active TB should be quarantined. But, it isn't necessary to quarantine people with latent TB if they have no symptoms.

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