The active bacteria begin to multiply in the body and cause TB disease. Some people can develop TB disease soon after becoming infected before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people can carry the bacteria for many years and only get sick when their immune system becomes weak for some reason. Other people never become sick with active TB during their lifetime. A bad cough that lasts longer than two weeks with phlegm, sometimes bloody Pain in the chest Weakness or fatigue Weight loss Fever, chills Loss of appetite Sweating at night Not all these symptoms may be present with TB disease.
Some people cough because of flu, asthma, or smoking.
The disease is curable if the patient is treated with appropriate antibiotics and if the patient actually takes the medicine. The treatment failures we see are those who start to feel better when on the medicine then stop taking their medicine on their own before all the bacteria are killed. This can allow the bacteria to come back. The bacteria can also become resistant to the drugs that the patient is taking. Then different drugs must be taken which must be taken for a longer time and usually have more serious side effects.