Bone tuberculosis (TB) is a form of tuberculosis that occurs when a TB infection spreads from the lungs to the bones. This means that the primary infection must be in the lungs first.
How Bone TB Develops
- Primary Infection: TB is infectious and is primarily transmitted through the air. When someone with pulmonary (lung) TB coughs, sneezes, spits, laughs, or talks, they release tiny droplets into the air that contain the bacteria that cause TB.
- Spread to Bones: If a person inhales these droplets and develops TB, the infection can sometimes spread beyond the lungs to other parts of the body, including the bones. This spread results in bone TB. It is important to note, according to the reference, you cannot have bone TB without first having TB in your lungs.
Transmission
- Airborne Transmission: TB is primarily spread through the air when a person with active pulmonary TB releases infectious droplets.
- Not Directly Transmissible: Bone TB itself is not directly transmissible from person to person. It is a secondary complication of a primary lung infection. You cannot give another person bone TB if you only have bone TB and not pulmonary TB.
Key Points
- Secondary Condition: Bone TB is always a secondary condition that results from the spread of an existing lung infection.
- Source: The source of the infection is always from droplets released by a person with pulmonary TB.
- Infectious: TB, in general, is infectious, and pulmonary TB is needed to cause bone TB.
In summary, bone TB is a type of tuberculosis that develops when TB bacteria, initially present in the lungs, spreads to the bones. It's not directly transmissible without an active lung infection.
