What causes TB?
The bacteria that cause TB
TB in humans is caused by bacteria. The bacteria usually affect the lungs but can affect other parts of the body. Bacteria are different from viruses. It is a new virus, a coronavirus, that causes the disease COVID-19.1Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020, WHO https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 There is some more about COVID-19 and TB.
The bacteria that causes TB in humans are called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
What causes bovine TB in cattle?
Bovine TB in cattle is also caused by bacteria. But it is a different type of bacteria to the bacteria that causes TB in humans. The bacteria are called M.Bovis.
How do TB bacteria get into a person's body?
You get TB by breathing in TB bacteria which are in the air. They are released into the air by someone who already has bacteria in their body. The bacteria are released into the air when someone with TB in their body coughs, speaks, sneezes, laughs or sings.
What causes drug resistant TB?
If a person has drug sensitive TB (the opposite of drug resistant TB) it means that if the person takes first line TB drugs which are some of the most effective TB drugs, then the bacteria will be completely killed by the drugs. It is still necessary to take several drugs at the same time.
If a person has drug resistant TB it means that the bacteria that the person is infected with, will not respond to, which means that they are resistant to, at least one of the main TB drugs.The person can still be cured of TB but they probably need to take other drugs called second line drugs.
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This page was last updated in May 2021.
Author Annabel Kanabus
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