Which symptom is commonly associated with active tuberculosis?

Which symptom is commonly associated with active tuberculosis?

• A. Night sweats
• B. Rash
• C. Jaundice
• D. Polyuria

Answer: (A)

Night sweats are a classic systemic symptom of active tuberculosis due to the fever response the body mounts against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. When TB is active, cytokine-driven inflammation often produces fever that tends to manifest as night sweats, sometimes drenching the sheets. This symptom commonly appears alongside other typical signs like a persistent cough, weight loss, and fever, helping to distinguish active TB from conditions that don’t involve a tuberculous infection. The other options—rash, jaundice, and polyuria—are not characteristic features of active TB: rash can occur with various infections or drug reactions, jaundice points to liver issues, and polyuria relates to metabolic problems such as diabetes rather than TB.

Night sweats are a classic systemic symptom of active tuberculosis due to the fever response the body mounts against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. When TB is active, cytokine-driven inflammation often produces fever that tends to manifest as night sweats, sometimes drenching the sheets. This symptom commonly appears alongside other typical signs like a persistent cough, weight loss, and fever, helping to distinguish active TB from conditions that don’t involve a tuberculous infection. The other options—rash, jaundice, and polyuria—are not characteristic features of active TB: rash can occur with various infections or drug reactions, jaundice points to liver issues, and polyuria relates to metabolic problems such as diabetes rather than TB.