Know The Details About Stages of TB

TB or tuberculosis is a contagious lung disease that passes through the mouth and nose in the form of small air/water droplets. The bacteria directly creates an impact on the functioning of terminal bronchioles and alveoli. 

The whole cycle takes place in four stages. In most cases, these stages end within a time span of one month. These stages are - 

Stage One

Within the first week of coming in contact with the bacterium TB bacillus, one can have the infestation. The bacteria will travel in your respiratory system until it reaches the alveoli. Within the same period, your immune system will detect the presence of bacteria and send macrophages. These are special immune cells that make any foreign object inactivate that enters the alveolar space. If your immune system is strong enough to fight, the growth of TB bacillus will stop, if not it will lead to the second stage. 

 Stage Two

If your immune system fails to stop the growth of TB bacillus, then they will start to multiply. This will start from the end of the first week and go to the third week of the infection. Once the bacteria stop multiplying, it enters the third stage of the cycle. 

Stage Three

This stage is the most complicated one. It can either be the end-stage or another stair for the fourth stage. 

The first case is quite general and most of the patients with TB bacillus end their infectious journey. By the third week, the immune system will grow enough macrophages to completely destroy the infectious cells. One can see the scarring of lung tissue in X-rays.    

In the second case, the special cells macrophages and TB bacilli will create a complex structure that will also harm the lymph nodes. This condition is also named under primary complex or Ghon complex. The weak macrophages that try to kill the bacteria will end up swallowing it. This builds around the complex structure inside of healthy macrophages of infected macrophages in the middle. This makes the bacteria non-contagious, inactive, and protected from the immune system for a very long time pushing the patient into the fourth stage.

Stage Four

The last stage of TB is the reactivation of the cells surrounded by the infectious and healthy macrophages. This generally happens after 12 to 24 months of infection. This stage moves faster than others and forms a cavity in the lung tissue to hide. The cells activation triggers a flare-up resulting in TB.