Which of the following statements regarding pulmonary tuberculosis is true?

Night sweats are often noted as a manifestation of fever in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. This symptom arises due to the body's inflammatory response to the infection. When tuberculosis bacteria invade the lungs, the immune system responds, leading to systemic symptoms such as fever, which can cause excessive sweating during the night. This is a classic symptom associated with tuberculosis and reflects the body's effort to regulate temperature in response to infection.

The other options do not accurately represent the typical manifestations or symptoms associated with pulmonary tuberculosis. For instance, while respiratory symptoms are predominant, they are not the sole manifestations, as tuberculosis can affect other systems as well. In the early stages, dyspnea is not a common finding; patients typically present with cough, weight loss, and fever before experiencing shortness of breath. Additionally, crackles and bronchial breath sounds may not be present in all phases of the disease; their occurrence can vary depending on the stage and extent of lung involvement.