Tuberculosis—Eye Infections

Your eyes can get infections from bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Eye infections can occur in different parts of the eye and can affect just one eye or both. Two common eye infections are

• Conjunctivitis – also known as pinkeye. Conjunctivitis is often due to an infection. Children frequently get it, and it is very contagious.
• Stye – a bump on the eyelid that happens when bacteria from your skin get into the hair follicle of an eyelash.

Symptoms of eye infections may include redness, itching, swelling, discharge, pain, or problems with vision. Treatment depends on the cause of the infection and may include compresses, eye drops, creams, or antibiotics.

• Blepharitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Corneal ulcers and infections (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Cytomegalovirus retinitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Dacryoadenitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Endophthalmitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Eye burning – itching and discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Eye redness (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Meibomianitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Orbital cellulitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Parinaud oculoglandular syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Periorbital cellulitis (Medical Encyclopedia)

Also called: TB

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but they can also damage other parts of the body.

TB spreads through the air when a person with TB of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, or talks. If you have been exposed, you should go to your doctor for tests. You are more likely to get TB if you have a weak immune system.

Symptoms of TB in the lungs may include

• A bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Coughing up blood or mucus
• Weakness or fatigue
• Fever
• Night sweats

Skin tests, blood tests, x-rays, and other tests can tell if you have TB. If not treated properly, TB can be deadly. You can usually cure active TB by taking several medicines for a long period of time.

NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

• Acid-fast stain (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Coughing up blood (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Disseminated tuberculosis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Meningitis – tuberculous (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• PPD skin test (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Pulmonary tuberculosis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Taking medicines to treat tuberculosis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Tuberculosis Facts – Exposure to TB (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Tuberculosis Facts – TB Can Be Treated (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Tuberculosis Facts – Testing for TB (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Tuberculosis Facts – You Can Prevent TB (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Tuberculosis: General Information (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF