This is an airborne disease that is spread through infected air particles. Symptoms include fever, weight loss, fatigue, and a constant cough. What is the disease?

The correct answer is tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which primarily affects the lungs but can also impact other areas of the body. It is indeed transmitted through the air via respiratory droplets from a person who is infected and coughs, sneezes, or speaks.

The symptoms listed, such as fever, weight loss, fatigue, and a chronic cough, are characteristic of tuberculosis. Those infected often experience a persistent cough that may produce sputum, along with the systemic symptoms of fever and weight loss over time, which are indicative of an underlying infection like TB. Awareness of these symptoms is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment, as tuberculosis can become serious if left untreated.

In contrast, the common cold is typically caused by viruses and presents with milder symptoms such as congestion and runny nose without the severe weight loss and prolonged cough associated with tuberculosis. Pneumonia can also cause cough and fever but is often due to different pathogens and usually presents more acutely, while hepatitis C is a viral infection that affects the liver and does not spread through airborne transmission. Thus, the features associated with tuberculosis align closely with the disease in question.