Definition

• Caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex
• Usually affects the lungs but affects other organs in one-third of cases
• Primary tuberculosis (TB)
  • Acute clinical illness directly following infection
• Latent TB
  • Evidence of exposure without active disease
  • Possible persistence of dormant bacilli for years
  • Noninfectious
  • Risk of secondary TB
• Secondary TB
  • Also known as adult-type TB or reactivation TB
  • Reactivation of previously acquired infection
  • Caused by previously dormant bacilli
  • Often infectious

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