Symptoms may improve in 2 to 3 weeks.

Prognosis is excellent if pulmonary TB is diagnosed early and treatment is begun.

Pulmonary TB can cause permanent lung damage if not treated early.

All medications used to treat TB have some toxicity.

- Rifampin and isoniazid may both cause a non-infectious hepatitis. Rifampin may also cause an orange or brown coloration of tears and urine.

- Ethambutol affects the eye. Any rash, abdominal pain, jaundice, or tingling in toes or fingers may be a sign of drug toxicity and should be reported to your doctor immediately.

Other complications include drug resistance to particular TB strains and a relapse of the disease in some patients.

The mortality rate from TB in the United States is currently 0.6 deaths per 100,000 individuals, which represents approximately 1,700 deaths per year and an annual mortality rate of approximately 7% per newly identified case.

Worldwide, deaths due to TB are estimated at 3 million per year. It is a major health issue in the 3ed world and international health organizations are targeting it.

http://www.who.int/topics/tuberculosis/en/

http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/