Does tuberculosis cause fever?

Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
Updated on September 30, 2024
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Does tuberculosis cause fever? The answer is definitely yes. Fever is one of the most common clinical manifestations of tuberculosis. Many tuberculosis patients experience low fevers, and a minority of patients, such as those with caseous tuberculosis or tuberculous pleurisy, may experience high fevers that can recur and persist. Moreover, tuberculosis patients may sometimes also have concurrent bacterial infections, which can cause the fever to last longer and be more difficult to control.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Does early-stage pulmonary tuberculosis cause fever?

Early stage tuberculosis patients generally exhibit clinical symptoms such as fever, primarily low-grade fever in the afternoon, along with coughing, hemoptysis, chest pain, chest tightness, and additional symptoms like weight loss, fatigue, and night sweats. These are very common and typical clinical symptoms of tuberculosis. Therefore, fever is very common in the early stages of tuberculosis. Consequently, once tuberculosis is accurately diagnosed in patients, it is crucial to promptly administer antitubercular drugs for systematic treatment. Usually, with a treatment duration of 6-9 months, the symptoms of early-stage tuberculosis and fever can be effectively controlled.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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Is tuberculosis easily contagious?

Whether tuberculosis (TB) is easily transmitted primarily depends on the source of infection, which refers to the TB patients and the amount of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in their sputum. If TB bacilli can be detected in their sputum, and the quantity is substantial, then their infectiousness is indeed higher. However, if the TB patient has undergone treatment, or if there are only a few TB bacilli in their sputum, or none at all, then their infectiousness may not be as significant. The second factor is the mode of transmission, which mainly occurs through the respiratory tract. If TB patients can be isolated timely, or if they wear masks, and their sputum is properly managed, for example by wrapping the sputum in paper and burning it, then they are less likely to transmit the disease to others. TB generally involves susceptibility issues; even if someone has been vaccinated with BCG or the TB vaccine, they can still be reinfected. Therefore, controlling these three transmission pathways is essential to minimize the risk of contracting TB.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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Can tuberculosis be fatal?

Can tuberculosis be fatal? Of course, the answer is yes. Many diseases can lead to death, even a common cold can potentially result in death, let alone tuberculosis, which is an extraordinary illness. Currently, the mortality rate for tuberculosis patients is relatively low because the treatment for tuberculosis has improved significantly compared to the past. However, there are still a small number of patients who, due to untimely treatment of tuberculosis, discontinuation of medications on their own accord or non-compliance with medical advice, or who have other serious underlying diseases, may not tolerate the tuberculosis treatment. As a result, they could potentially die from adverse reactions to the tuberculosis medications.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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Does tuberculosis get inherited?

Is tuberculosis hereditary? Tuberculosis is not a hereditary disease; it is an infectious disease. Infectious diseases and hereditary diseases are two completely different concepts. Tuberculosis is generally infectious, which means that in a family, if parents are infected, they can easily transmit the tuberculosis bacteria to their children or others around them. Therefore, many people might mistakenly believe that tuberculosis is hereditary. However, this is not the case; tuberculosis is transmitted through the tuberculosis bacteria.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Is tuberculosis serious?

Tuberculosis is a relatively serious disease, but if it is treated and managed promptly in the early stages, it often can be brought under control and most cases can completely recover. If the disease is allowed to progress unchecked, it can develop from ordinary tuberculosis into an especially severe form of the disease, even endangering life and leading to extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The severity of tuberculosis depends largely on the extent of damage to the lungs and whether there is extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Once tuberculosis is confirmed, scientifically sound and appropriate anti-tuberculosis treatment should be undertaken.