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Overview
Tuberculosis remains a very common disease throughout the
world. Tuberculosis, or TB, is a chronic bacterial infection.
Rarely, it can produce disease within several weeks and
commonly it can lay dormant for many years before producing
symptoms.
Exposure to the infection is usually through the lungs. Within
several months of exposure, there is often a spot that
develops on the x-ray of the lungs. The spread of the disease
is generally limited. However, the disease sometimes becomes
reactivated. This can occur when the immune system is
compromised. Chronic illness, alcoholism, the use of
immunosuppressive drugs, AIDS and cancer can all produce this
situation.
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