The following are the most common symptoms of TB disease. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. The symptoms of tuberculosis may resemble other medical conditions. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis. Symptoms may be quite insidious.
Prompt treatment can usually greatly reduce the long term consequences of the disease.
Diagnosis is usually based on the patient's symptoms, a chest x-ray, and a skin test, known as the Mantoux test. A positive result from the test does not mean that the person has active tuberculosis. People who have a previous exposure to TB will test positive on the tuberculin test, as will some people exposed to related mycobacteria. For people who have significant reactions to the tuberculin skin test, other methods are used to determine if they have active TB, including a sputum sample. Treatment can last a year or longer.