Less than 10 percent of people who have been infected with the tuberculosis bacteria go on to develop active tuberculosis disease. If you have tuberculosis, it's very important to take all medications exactly as prescribed and avoid contact with others until you are no longer contagious. And people who are most susceptible to TB should take care to avoid those infected with the disease. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics. Health Tools.
Reviewed: December 16, Medically Reviewed. Tuberculosis is an airborne disease, and can be caught by breathing in the air that an infected person has contaminated through: Breathing Coughing Talking Singing Sneezing TB germs must be forced into the air, and to get a tuberculosis infection you must breathe in those germs.
In countries outside the U. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. The following are the stages of TB: Exposure. This happens when a person has been in contact with, or exposed to, another person who has TB. The exposed person will have a negative skin test, a normal chest X-ray, and no signs or symptoms of the disease.
Latent TB infection. This happens when a person has TB bacteria in his or her body, but does not have symptoms of the disease. The infected person's immune system walls off the TB organisms, and the TB remains inactive throughout life in most people who are infected.
This person would have a positive skin test, but a normal chest X-ray. TB disease. This describes the person who has signs and symptoms of an active infection. The person would have a positive skin test and a positive chest X-ray.
What causes TB? Who is at risk for TB? However, each person may experience symptoms differently: Cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer Chest pain Fatigue Loss of appetite Unintended weight loss Poor growth in children Fever Coughing blood or sputum Chills or night sweats The symptoms of TB may look like other lung conditions or medical problems. How is TB diagnosed? TB skin tests are suggested for those: In high-risk categories Who live or work in close contact with people who are at high risk Who have never had a TB skin test For skin testing in children, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends testing: If the child is thought to have been exposed in the last 5 years If the child has an X-ray that looks like TB If the child has any symptoms of TB If the child comes from a country where TB is prevalent For children with HIV For children receiving medicines that suppress the immune system For children who are in detention facilities For children who are exposed to high-risk people If the child's parent has come from a high-risk country If the child has traveled to high-risk areas If the child lives in a densely populated area How is TB treated?
Your healthcare provider will figure out the best treatment for you based on: How old you are Your overall health and past health How sick you are How well you can handle specific medicines, procedures, or therapies How long the condition is expected to last Your opinion or preference Treatment may include: Short-term hospitalization For latent TB which is newly diagnosed: Usually a 6 to 12 month course of antibiotic called isoniazid will be given to kill off the TB organisms in the body.
Some people with latent TB may be treated with a shorter course of 2 antibiotics for only 3 months. For active TB: Your healthcare provider may prescribe 3 or more antibiotics in combination for 6 to 9 months or longer. Examples include: isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol. People usually begin to improve within a few weeks of the start of treatment.
After several weeks of treatment with the correct medicines, the person is usually no longer contagious, if treatment is carried through to the end, as prescribed by a healthcare provider. From there, they can move through the blood to other parts of the body, such as the kidney, spine, and brain. TB disease in the lungs or throat can be infectious. This means that the bacteria can be spread to other people.
TB in other parts of the body, such as the kidney or spine, is usually not infectious. People with TB disease are most likely to spread it to people they spend time with every day. This includes family members, friends, and coworkers or schoolmates.
Learn about latent TB infection and TB disease. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.
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