What causes tuberculosis?

What causes tuberculosis?
The cause of TB is infection of human tissue(s) by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (mycobacteria). These bacteria are slow growing, aerobic, and can grow within body cells (an intracellular parasitic bacterium). Its unique cell wall helps protect it from the body's defenses and gives mycobacteria the ability to retain certain dyes like fuschsin (a reddish dye) after an acid rinse that rarely happens with other bacterial, fungal, or parasitic genera.
Mycobacteria that escape destruction by body defenses may be spread by blood or lymphatic pathways to most organs, with preference to those that oxygenate well (lungs, kidneys, and bones, for example). Typical TB lesions, termed granulomas, usually consist of a central necrotic area, then a zone with macrophages, giant Langerhans cells and lymphocytes that become surrounded by immature macrophages, plasma cells, and more lymphocytes. These granulomas also contain mycobacteria. In latent infections, a fibrous capsule usually surrounds the granulomas, and in some people, the granulomas calcify, but if the immune defenses fail initially or at a later time (reactivate), the bacteria continue to spread and disrupt organ functions.


What are risk factors for tuberculosis?

There are many risk factors for developing tuberculosis. Certain groups of people have a high risk, such as people who work in hospitals and other areas where TB-infected people may reside (jails, nursing homes, group homes for HIV patients, homeless shelters). Close association with drug users, or people with known TB infections are also at higher risk. Other people at high risk include the following:
Visitors and immigrants from areas known to have high incidence of TB
Children and the elderly with weakened immune systems (especially those with a positive TB skin test, see below)
Patients with HIV infection
Drug abusers, especially IV drug abuse
Head and neck cancer patients
Transplant patients
Diabetics
Kidney disease patients
People undergoing immunosuppressive therapy