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How Tuberculosis Infection Occurs

Tuberculosis Pathogenesis

From About.com

Updated: April 24, 2005

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD

Tuberculosis is transmitted from person to person through the air during coughing and sneezing. When a person coughs or sneezes, the droplets containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis enter the air where they can be inhaled by those around them.

When the droplets are inhaled, the larger droplets become lodged in the upper respiratory tract and begins infection. Some droplets may reach the alveoli in the lungs and begin infection there.

In the alveoli, the mycobacterium tuberculosis multiply and enter the bloodstream, where they travel throughout the body. Within 2 to 10 weeks the immune system begins its attack on the mycobacterium tuberculosis to try to prevent further infection and disease. Tuberculosis Infection vs. Tuberculosis Disease

Source: Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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