tb info from the cdc

8/2/2019 TB Info From the CDC

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National Center or HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention

Division o Tuberculosis Elimination

CS227840_A

TB EliminationTuberculosis: General Information

What is TB?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by germs

that are spread rom person to person throughthe air. TB usually aects the lungs, but it can also

aect other parts o the body, such as the brain,

the kidneys, or the spine. A person with TB can

die i they do not get treatment.

What are the Symptoms o TB?

The general symptoms o TB disease include

eelings o sickness or weakness, weight loss,

ever, and night sweats. The symptoms o TB

disease o the lungs also include coughing, chestpain, and the coughing up o blood. Symptoms

o TB disease in other parts o the body depend

on the area aected.

How is TB Spread?

TB germs are put into the air when a person with

TB disease o the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes,

speaks, or sings. These germs can stay in the air

or several hours, depending on the environment.

Persons who breathe in the air containing theseTB germs can become inected; this is called

latent TB inection.

What is the Diference BetweenLatent TB Inection and TB Disease?

People with latent TB inection have TB germs in

their bodies, but they are not sick because the

germs are not active. These people do not have

symptoms o TB disease, and they cannot spread

the germs to others. However, they may develop

TB disease in the uture. They are oten prescribed

treatment to prevent them rom developing

TB disease.

People with TB disease are sick rom TB germs that

are active, meaning that they are multiplying and

destroying tissue in their body. They usually have

symptoms o TB disease. People with TB disease

o the lungs or throat are capable o spreading

germs to others. They are prescribed drugs thatcan treat TB disease.

What Should I Do I I Have SpentTime with Someone with Latent TBInection?

A person with latent TB inection cannot spread

germs to other people. You do not need to be

tested i you have spent time with someone with

latent TB inection. However, i you have spenttime with someone with TB disease or someone

with symptoms o TB, you should be tested.

What Should I Do i I Have BeenExposed to Someone with TBDisease?

People with TB disease are most likely to spread

the germs to people they spend time with every

day, such as amily members or coworkers. I you

have been around someone who has TB disease,

you should go to your doctor or your local health

department or tests.

How Do You Get Tested or TB?

There are tests that can be used to help detect

TB inection: a skin test or TB blood tests. The

Mantoux tuberculin skin test is perormed

by injecting a small amount o uid (called

tuberculin) into the skin in the lower part o thearm. A person given the tuberculin skin test must

return within 48 to 72 hours to have a trained

health care worker look or a reaction on the arm.

The TB blood tests measures how the patients

immune system reacts to the germs that cause TB.

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What Does a Positive Test or TBInection Mean?

A positive test or TB inection only tells that

a person has been inected with TB germs. It

does not tell whether or not the person hasprogressed to TB disease. Other tests, such as a

chest x-ray and a sample o sputum, are needed

to see whether the person has TB disease.

What is Bacille CalmetteGurin(BCG)?

BCG is a vaccine or TB disease. BCG is used

in many countries, but it is not generally

recommended in the United States. BCG

vaccination does not completely prevent people

rom getting TB. It may also cause a alse positive

tuberculin skin test. However, persons who

have been vaccinated with BCG can be given a

tuberculin skin test or TB blood test.

Why is Latent TB InectionTreated?

I you have latent TB inection but not TB disease,

your doctor may want you to take a drug to killthe TB germs and prevent you rom developing

TB disease. The decision about taking treatment

or latent inection will be based on your chances

o developing TB disease. Some people are more

likely than others to develop TB disease once

they have TB inection. This includes people with

HIV inection, people who were recently exposed

to someone with TB disease, and people with

certain medical conditions.

How is TB Disease Treated?

TB disease can be treated by taking several

drugs or 6 to 12 months. It is very important

that people who have TB disease fnish the

medicine, and take the drugs exactly asprescribed. I they stop taking the drugs too

soon, they can become sick again; i they do

not take the drugs correctly, the germs that are

still alive may become resistant to those drugs.

TB that is resistant to drugs is harder and more

expensive to treat. In some situations, sta o

the local health department meet regularly

with patients who have TB to watch them

take their medications. This is called directly

observed therapy (DOT). DOT helps the patient

complete treatment in the least amount o

time.

Additional Inormation

CDC. Questions and Answers About TB

http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/aqs/

deault.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/tb

October 2011
http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/faqs/default.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/faqs/default.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/tb/http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/faqs/default.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/faqs/default.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/tb/


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What You Need to

Know About theTUBERCULOSIS

TB Skin TestI was told I needed a TB skintest, so I went to the health

clinic. It was quick and didnthurt. In two days, I went backto the clinic so the nurse couldsee the results. Its importantto go back in 2 or 3 days to getyour results or you will have toget the test again.

A TB skin test will tell you if youhave ever had TB germs in your

body.

Aharmlessuidisplacedunderyourskin on the inside of your arm. A verysmall needle is used, so you will onlyfeel a light pinch.

Make sure you dont put a bandage orlotion on the test spot. Alsodontscratch the spot. If the area itches, putan ice cube or cold cloth on it. It isokay for the test spot to get wet, butdo not wipe or scrub the area.

Return to the clinic or doctors of-fcein2to3dayssoyourhealthcareprovider can look at the test spot onyour arm. He or she will look at thetest spot and measure any bump thatappears there. Your healthcareprovider will let you know if your test

is negative or positive.

Write the time and date you will needto return here:

______________________________ .

Rememberonly a healthcare

provider can read your TB skin test

results the right way.

When your skin test is positive:

You have TB germs in your body.

You may need to get an x-ray of your chest give a phlegm sample. These extra tests will hshow if you have TB disease or

TB infection.

Your doctor or healthcare provider may ask ifyou have HIV. TB infection and HIV togeth

can make you very sick very quickly. If you doknow if you have HIV, your doctor or healthcprovider may suggest you take an HIV test.

The good news:

TB can be CURED if you follow the medicine playou and your doctor set up.


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Did you know?Once you have a positive TB skin test you will always have a positive TB skin test,even if you complete treatment. Ask your doctor for a written record of yourpositive skin test result. This will be helpful if you are asked to have another TB skintest in the future.

When your TB skin test is negative:

You dont have TB germs in your body.

OR

TB germs are not showing up in yourbody at this time. Sometimes the testmay have been done too soon to showthe TB germs.

If your TB skin test is negative,you still may need to have more tests if:

You have been around someone with TB disease.

Your TB skin test was within 8 weeks of your exposure to TB.

You have signs of TB disease, like coughing, chest pain, fever, weight loss,or tiredness.

You have HIV infection, since the TB skin test may not react the way it should.

The facts on the BCG vaccine and TB:I always thought that because I got a BCG vaccine,my TB skin test would be positive. My doctor said thatsome people who get BCG vaccines have positive skintests and some have negative skin tests. I learned that apositive TB skin test result often means a person has TBinfection, even if they had the BCG vaccine.

Get a TB skin test if your healthcare provider says you need one.

For more information on TB, call your local health department at

or visit the CDC Division of Tuberculosis Elimination website at

http://www.cdc.gov/tb

Produced 2005

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