Tuberculosis is a scourge of mankind. The prechemotherapeutic era has given insights into the much needed natural history of tuberculosis. Once the TB bacilli enter the system, many factors including the age, nutritional status, the host immunity, bacillary load, pathogenicity of TB bacilli and HIV status tilt the balance between infection and disease. A clear understanding of the natural history helps us understand the various presentations in both pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
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