Other Conditions With Symptoms Similar to Tuberculosis (TB)

Some of the symptoms of tuberculosis (TB)—coughing, fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, and night sweats—also can occur in other illnesses that affect the lungs. These illnesses may occur along with TB infection.

Some of these other conditions include:

• Lung cancer.
• Bacterial lung abscess (empyema).
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Pneumonia.
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
• Infection with a fungus, such as in histoplasmosis.
• Infection with another Mycobacterium, such as Mycobacterium kansasii or Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex.

Credits

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	R. Steven Tharratt, MD, MPVM, FACP, FCCP - Pulmonology, Critical Care Medicine, Medical Toxicology
Last Revised	April 15, 2011