Tuberculosis 2: Pathophysiology and microbiology of pulmonary tuberculosis

Inhalation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis leads to one of four possible outcomes: Immediate clearance of the organism Latent infection The onset of active disease (primary disease) Active disease many years later (reactivation disease). Among individuals with latent infection, and no underlying medical problems, reactivation disease occurs in 5 to 10 percent of cases [1]. The risk of reactivation is markedly increased in patients with HIV [2]. These outcomes are determined by the interplay of factors attributable to both the organism and the host.