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Mountains Beyond Mountains: Tuberculosis

Written by Tracy Kidder, Mountains Beyond Mountains focuses on the quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, an infectious disease specialist, who still strives to diagnose and cure infectious diseases in such places as Haiti, Cuba, Peru, and Russia.

Definition of Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is a usually chronic, highly variable disease that is caused by a bacterium of the genus Mycobacterium. 

It is usually transmitted by inhalation of the airborne bacteria and mainly affects the lungs but may spread to other areas, such as the kidney or spinal column, from local lesions or by way of the lymph or blood vessels. 

The disease is characterized by:

  • fever,
  • cough, and
  • difficulty breathing.

Definition from MedlinePlus Merriam-Webster: http://www.merriam-webster.com/medlineplus/tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

               Image from: nlm.nih.gov