Classification: ICD-9 010-018; ICD-10 A15–A19
Syndromes and synonyms: Consumption, white plague, TB.
Agent: Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, including M. tuberculosis, M. africanum, M. canetti, and M. bovis, slow growing acid-fast rods. M. bovis is not discussed further.
Reservoir: Mainly humans; rarely non-human primates and other mammals.
Transmission: Person-to-person via inhalation of infectious aerosols from cases with pulmonary TB, particularly after prolonged exposure over time. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis is generally not communicable. HIV-infected individuals are more likely to develop TB.
Incubation period: 2–10 weeks to primary lesion or tuberculin-positive skin test; around 10% progresses to active disease annually, but it may remain latent for decades to lifelong,. This percentage is higher in children and in HIV-infected or otherwise immune-suppressed individuals.
Clinical findings:
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