When TB occurs outside the lungs, it is called extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
Bone tuberculosis, orosteoarticulartuberculosis, is a jot down of extrapulmonary TB.
Most often, bone TB affects the spine, but it can also spread to other bones and joints.
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This article discusses bone tuberculosis, its symptoms, causes, how it’s diagnosed, and treatment options.
Bone Tuberculosis Symptoms
Bone tuberculosis typically affects joints in the spine.
Only 2% to 3% of cases occur in other jointsmost often the hips and knees.
However, tuberculosis that settles in places other than the lungs is not typically infectious.
This can be done with a skin test and blood tests.
TheMantoux tuberculin skin testinvolves injecting a small amount of tuberculin underneath the skin (typically on the forearm).
After 48 to 72 hours, the area is examined.
Blood tests can also be performed to identify an immune response to TB bacteria in the blood.
Latent Tuberculosis
People can be infected with the bacterium that causes tuberculosis without being sick or contagious.
Screening for latent TB is recommended for anyone at greater risk of exposure.
Drug susceptibility testing is performed to determine the correct course of treatment.
Of this population, 1.5 million people died from the disease.
Summary
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that usually affects the lungs.
However, it can also spread to other parts of the body, including the bones.
Bone tuberculosis is treated with medication and sometimes surgery, depending on the extent of bone damage.
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