What is the most common form of TB disease?

Active pulmonary TB is recognized as the most common form of tuberculosis (TB) disease. This type of TB primarily affects the lungs and is characterized by the presence of active bacterial infection, which can lead to symptoms such as persistent cough, chest pain, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. The condition can be transmitted from person to person through the air, making it a public health concern.

Latent TB, while prevalent, is not classified as an active disease since individuals infected with latent TB do not exhibit symptoms and are not contagious. Cutaneous TB and bone TB are much rarer forms of the disease, affecting the skin and bones respectively, and do not account for the majority of TB cases. Therefore, active pulmonary TB is the most significant in terms of both incidence and potential for transmission.