How Pulmonary TB Develops

Pulmonary - Introduction - Infection - Dormant - Active

A human host can continue to live normally with one or several tubercles in the lung which have returned to a dormant state. This scar tissue will go unnoticed for a long time, often years or decades. In fact, a portion of the population will live their entire lives with the tuberculosis bacteria living in their bodies in a dormant state. As long as the host’s immune system is strong, the infection will be controlled and will not spread. However, a weakening of the immune system will allow the bacterial infection to grow and spread. The tubercles will break open and pus will flow out, infecting other regions of the lung and body with the tubercle bacilli.