Consumption Disease Alias Pulmonary Tuberculosis
consumption disease is another term for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). The phrase originated from the description of how people with the disease were affected, they seemed to be “consumed”, or completely overwhelmed by the disease. Symptoms of TB include bloody coughs, loss of appetite, weight loss, chest pain, fever, pallor, fatigue and night sweats. Other organs can become infected with TB as well and other symptoms will result when this occurs. Tuberculosis spreads with the spray of saliva through the air propelled by a cough or a sneeze. When this progresses to a latent infection nearly half of those infected die. If the infection moves from the lungs to other parts of the body different types to tuberculosis can result. When it moves to the central nervous system it causes meningitis, or to the genitourinary system it causes urogenital tuberculosis. One infected person can contaminate a population fast by infecting 10-15 people annually through day to day contact. As few as 10 bacteria can cause an infection of tuberculosis and the average sneeze carries 40,000 droplets of saliva. The strength of the strain of tuberculosis and the length of exposure also contribute to the likelihood of contracting the disease.
