Get To Know Soon, 4 Characteristics Of TB That Are Different From Ordinary Flu

JAKARTA - Tubercollosis or tuberculosis is one of the world's heavy health burdens, including in Indonesia. The spread of this infectious disease can occur quickly and is often not realized because of its symptoms that are considered similar to the common cold.

Therefore, it is important to know the characteristics of TB so that treatment can be carried out early and effectively. There are several different characteristics of TB with the common cold that should be recognized immediately.

1. Cough the duration of long and bloody

Quoted from NHS, on Thursday, July 17, 2025, coughs due to tuberculosis will usually last for a long duration. If the cough symptoms occur for more than two weeks, it is better to immediately do an examination, especially if the cough is accompanied by blood.

Meanwhile, the flu usually coughs suddenly and tends to be severe, and does not cause blood. Cough due to the flu even though it is severe will usually heal faster.

2. Weight loss

TB sufferers will usually experience unnatural weight loss. Weight will still drop even though they are not on a diet.

These conditions are usually accompanied by decreased appetite and chest pain. For the common cold, weight loss usually does not occur and if it happens it is also not significant.

3. Night sweat

Other TB characteristics are fever and sweat at night. Even though the environmental condition is cold, the body will still sweat.

The sweat that comes out is the immune response of the body trying to fight tuberculosis infection. In this process the body's temperature will increase and trigger sweat at night.

4. Not accompanied by a cold

Unlike flu in general, TB symptoms do not cause a cold. This is because mycobacterium tuberculosis attacks the lungs, not respiratory tracts such as the common cold.

Common flu caused by influenza usually attacks the upper respiratory tract, so that symptoms of runny nose or runny nose or runny nose will appear.