Spinal Tuberculosis Disease

Tuberculosis is a "rare disease" that in the past often ended with the death of the person who'd contracted it. Now there are treatments and drugs that can prevent this, and infection in first world countries is nearly unheard of. Once contracted, tuberculosis can settle in the lungs, and as the infection grows it can spread to the kidneys, and even the spine where it can do additional damage.

Tuberculosis

• Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Inhaled through the lungs, the bacteria may then move to other parts of the body, including the kidneys, spine, joints, skin and others.

Pott's Disease

• When Mycobacterium tuberculosis spreads from the lungs to the spine, the condition is referred to as Pott's disease, or tuberculous spondylitis.

Effects

• Pott's disease causes negative changes in the spine. The bacteria in the spine will cause the vertebrae to soften, and ultimately to collapse.

Symptoms

• Those who develop Pott's disease will often display a variety of symptoms. Back pain, night sweats, weight loss, fever and anorexia are some of the more common ones.

Conditions

• Spinal tuberculosis can cause a number of physical conditions, including a hunched back, resulting from the spine curving. Another is paralysis, whether partial or complete, due to a more pronounced collapse of the vertebrae.