What is tuberculosis? A brief video explainer

by | Respiratory Health

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a very ancient disease. It’s a bacterial disease. It occurs in animals as well as humans. It primarily comes in through the respiratory tract and affects the lungs, but can affect any organ of the body. And when it’s out of control, it’s a very serious, highly fatal condition, which can cause problems in the kidneys and the brain, and obviously in the lungs as well, and respiratory failure. Most people who develop TB don’t know they’ve got it, but those who’ve got it, certainly know they’ve got it and it can be highly infectious.

Dr Norman Swan, Physician and Journalist