Tuberculosis

• Tuberculosis is considered an infectious disease caused by the bacteria most commonly known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is essentially transmitted from one person to the next through a virtually imperceptible mist of water emitted from the mouth. This emission could happen when someone who is infected with the bacteria sneezes or coughs, spits or speaks and even laughs or whispers. However, this doesn't mean that you'll automatically be infected with the bacteria when you're in close proximity to a person with this particular disease; it just puts you at greater risk.
  
  

Transmission

• When someone is exposed to the bacteria from another person, your body, or at least your immune system, will either successfully "fight off" the germs, according to the Mayo Clinic, or become infected with the disease. It's as simple as that. If you do become infected, it may lay dormant for a number of years, or it may become active and contagious. It really depends on the person and his immune system how he is affected by the bacteria. Yet, it should also be mentioned that most people who become infected with tuberculosis do so not by some random person off the street but from someone he is with on a day-to-day basis, like a spouse, parent or coworker.
  
  

Treatment

• Depending on the type of tuberculosis, be it latent or active, your doctor will inevitably prescribe some sort of treatment to "kill" the bacteria. With latent tuberculosis, you'll in all likelihood begin a prescription of isoniazid, which essentially kills the germs. For those individuals with active tuberculosis, they will start on a course of treatment that not only consists of isoniazid, but also rifampin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide. The reason for the increased number of medications is largely due to the contagious nature of the condition, and a bit more aggressive approach to treatment will be required.