Tuberculosis
Often called TB (short for tubercle bacillus) is an infectious disease of Terran origin, caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis typically attacks the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body. It is spread through the air when people who have an active TB infection cough, sneeze, or otherwise transmit their saliva through the air. Most infections are asymptomatic and latent, but about one in 10 latent infections eventually progresses to active disease which, if left untreated, kills more than 50% of those so infected.
The classic symptoms of active TB infection are a chronic cough with blood-tinged sputum, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. Infection of other organs causes a wide range of symptoms. Diagnosis of active TB relies on scanning, as well as microscopic examination and microbiological culture of body fluids. Diagnosis of latent TB relies on blood or tissue tests. Treatment is difficult and requires administration of multiple anti-biological agents over a long period of time. Social contacts are also screened and treated if necessary. Drug resistance is a problem with this disease. Prevention relies on screening programs and vaccination.
Tuberculosis has been a difficult disease to treat since time immemorial; the bacillus has the ability to develop resistance to anti-biological agents, and mutate to adapt to different worlds. This disease has been officially 'eradicated' several times, only to re-emerge on another world, in a slightly different form.