Tuberculosis (TB) kills primarily by causing severe damage to the lungs and other organs, leading to respiratory failure and systemic complications. Here's how TB can be fatal:
- Lung destruction: The bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis cause lesions and cavities in lung tissue, which progressively destroy lung capacity. This extensive lung damage impairs breathing and oxygen exchange
- Respiratory complications: TB can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), where fluid builds up in the lungs and prevents proper air filling. It can also lead to pneumothorax (collapsed lung) due to air leaking into the chest cavity. These conditions severely compromise breathing
- Spread beyond lungs: TB can disseminate through the bloodstream (miliary TB), infecting multiple organs such as bones, brain, kidneys, and lymph nodes. This widespread infection can cause organ failure and is often fatal, especially in immunocompromised individuals like those with HIV
- Immune suppression and delayed treatment: People with weakened immune systems or who delay treatment are at higher risk of severe disease and death. Drug-resistant TB strains also complicate treatment and increase mortality risk
- Systemic effects: TB can cause systemic amyloidosis (protein buildup in organs) and other complications that impair organ function
Without treatment, TB has a high mortality rate—up to two-thirds of untreated cases may die. With prompt and proper antibiotic treatment, most people survive and recover, but untreated or advanced TB leads to death by respiratory failure, organ failure, or systemic complications
. In summary, TB kills by progressively destroying lung tissue, causing respiratory failure, spreading infection to vital organs, and overwhelming the body's ability to function, especially if untreated or in vulnerable individuals.
