Basic TB Facts

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How TB Spreads Latent TB Infection & TB Disease TB Symptoms TB Risk Factors Testing for TB Exposure to TB Treatment for Latent TB Infection and TB Disease Re ated Links

Tu!ercu osis "TB# is caused !y a !acterium ca ed Mycobacterium tuberculosis$ T%e !acteria usua y attack t%e ungs& !ut TB !acteria can attack any part of t%e !ody suc% as t%e kidney& spine& and !rain$ If not treated proper y& TB disease can !e fata $

How TB Spreads
TB is spread t%roug% t%e air from one person to anot%er$ T%e TB !acteria are put into t%e air w%en a person wit% TB disease of t%e ungs or t%roat coug%s& snee'es& speaks& or sings$ (eop e near!y may !reat%e in t%ese !acteria and !ecome infected$ TB is )*T spread !y

s%aking someone+s %and s%aring food or drink touc%ing !ed inens or toi et seats s%aring toot%!rus%es kissing

Latent TB Infection and TB Disease

)ot e,eryone infected wit% TB !acteria !ecomes sick$ -s a resu t& two TB.re ated conditions exist/ atent TB infection and TB disease$ Latent TB Infection TB !acteria can i,e in t%e !ody wit%out making you sick$ T%is is ca ed atent TB infection$ In most peop e w%o !reat%e in TB !acteria and !ecome infected& t%e !ody is a! e to fig%t t%e !acteria to stop t%em from growing$ (eop e wit% atent TB infection do not fee sick and do not %a,e any symptoms$ (eop e wit% atent TB infection are

not infectious and cannot spread TB !acteria to ot%ers$ Howe,er& if TB !acteria !ecome acti,e in t%e !ody and mu tip y& t%e person wi go from %a,ing atent TB infection to !eing sick wit% TB disease$ TB Disease TB !acteria !ecome acti,e if t%e immune system can0t stop t%em from growing$ 1%en TB !acteria are acti,e "mu tip ying in your !ody#& t%is is ca ed TB disease$ (eop e wit% TB disease are sick$ T%ey may a so !e a! e to spread t%e !acteria to peop e t%ey spend time wit% e,ery day$ 2any peop e w%o %a,e atent TB infection ne,er de,e op TB disease$ Some peop e de,e op TB disease soon after !ecoming infected "wit%in weeks# !efore t%eir immune system can fig%t t%e TB !acteria$ *t%er peop e may get sick years ater w%en t%eir immune system !ecomes weak for anot%er reason$ For peop e w%ose immune systems are weak& especia y t%ose wit% HI3 infection& t%e risk of de,e oping TB disease is muc% %ig%er t%an for peop e wit% norma immune systems$ Learn more a!out t%e difference !etween LTBI and TB Disease$

TB Symptoms
Symptoms of TB disease inc ude/

a !ad coug% t%at asts 4 weeks or onger pain in t%e c%est coug%ing up ! ood or sputum weakness or fatigue weig%t oss no appetite c%i s fe,er sweating at nig%t

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TB Risk Factors

*nce a person is infected wit% TB !acteria& t%e c%ance of de,e oping TB disease is %ig%er if t%e person/

Has HI3 infection5 Has !een recent y infected wit% TB !acteria "in t%e ast 6 years#5 Has ot%er %ea t% pro! ems& ike dia!etes& t%at make it %ard for t%e !ody to fig%t !acteria5 -!uses a co%o or uses i ega drugs5 or 1as not treated correct y for TB infection in t%e past

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Testing for TB Infection

T%ere are two kinds of tests t%at are used to detect TB !acteria in t%e !ody/ t%e TB skin test "TST# and TB ! ood tests$ T%ese tests can !e gi,en !y a %ea t% care pro,ider or oca %ea t% department$ If you %a,e a positi,e reaction to eit%er of t%e tests& you wi !e gi,en ot%er tests to see if you %a,e atent TB infection or TB disease$ 2ore

E pos!re to TB
If you t%ink you %a,e !een exposed to someone wit% TB disease& contact your %ea t% care pro,ider or oca %ea t% department to see if you s%ou d !e tested for TB infection$ Be sure to te t%e doctor or nurse w%en you spent time wit% t%e person w%o %as TB disease$

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Treatment for Latent TB Infection and TB Disease

Treatment for Latent TB Infection If you %a,e atent TB infection !ut not TB disease& your %ea t% care pro,ider may want you !e treated to keep you from de,e oping TB disease$ Treatment of atent TB infection reduces t%e risk t%at TB infection wi progress to TB disease$ Treatment of atent TB infection is essentia to contro ing and e iminating

TB in t%e 7nited States$ T%e decision a!out taking treatment for atent TB infection wi !e !ased on your c%ances of de,e oping TB disease$ Treatment for TB Disease TB disease can !e treated !y taking se,era drugs& usua y for 8 to 9 mont%s$ It is ,ery important to finis% t%e medicine& and take t%e drugs exact y as prescri!ed$ If you stop taking t%e drugs too soon& you can !ecome sick again$ If you do not take t%e drugs correct y& t%e germs t%at are sti a i,e may !ecome resistant to t%ose drugs$ TB t%at is resistant to drugs is %arder and more expensi,e to treat$

Signs and Symptoms of TB Disease

Symptoms of TB disease depend on w%ere in t%e !ody t%e TB !acteria are growing$ TB !acteria usua y grow in t%e ungs "pu monary TB#$ TB disease in t%e ungs may cause symptoms suc% as

a !ad coug% t%at asts 4 weeks or onger pain in t%e c%est coug%ing up ! ood or sputum "p% egm from deep inside t%e ungs#

*t%er symptoms of TB disease are

weakness or fatigue weig%t oss no appetite c%i s fe,er sweating at nig%t

Symptoms of TB disease in ot%er parts of t%e !ody depend on t%e area affected$ (eop e w%o %a,e atent TB infection do not fee sick& do not %a,e any symptoms& and cannot spread TB to ot%ers$

Risk Factors
Some peop e de,e op TB disease soon after !ecoming infected "wit%in weeks# !efore t%eir immune system can fig%t t%e TB !acteria$ *t%er peop e may get sick years ater& w%en t%eir immune system !ecomes weak for anot%er reason$

*,era & a!out : to ;<= of infected persons w%o do not recei,e treatment for atent TB infection wi de,e op TB disease at some time in t%eir i,es$ For persons w%ose immune systems are weak& especia y t%ose wit% HI3 infection& t%e risk of de,e oping TB disease is muc% %ig%er t%an for persons wit% norma immune systems$ >enera y& persons at %ig% risk for de,e oping TB disease fa into two categories/

(ersons w%o %a,e !een recent y infected wit% TB !acteria (ersons wit% medica conditions t%at weaken t%e immune system

Persons who ha"e #een Recent$y Infected with TB Bacteria T%is inc udes/

? ose contacts of a person wit% infectious TB disease (ersons w%o %a,e immigrated from areas of t%e wor d wit% %ig% rates of TB ?%i dren ess t%an : years of age w%o %a,e a positi,e TB test >roups wit% %ig% rates of TB transmission& suc% as %ome ess persons& in@ection drug users& and persons wit% HI3 infection (ersons w%o work or reside wit% peop e w%o are at %ig% risk for TB in faci ities or institutions suc% as %ospita s& %ome ess s%e ters& correctiona faci ities& nursing %omes& and residentia %omes for t%ose wit% HI3

Persons with %edica$ &onditions that 'eaken the Imm!ne System Ba!ies and young c%i dren often %a,e weak immune systems$ *t%er peop e can %a,e weak immune systems& too& especia y peop e wit% any of t%ese conditions/

HI3 infection "t%e ,irus t%at causes -IDS# Su!stance a!use Si icosis Dia!etes me itus Se,ere kidney disease Low !ody weig%t *rgan transp ants Head and neck cancer 2edica treatments suc% as corticosteroids or organ transp ant Specia i'ed treatment for r%eumatoid art%ritis or ?ro%n+s disease

'hat to Do If (o! Ha"e Been E posed To TB

Aou may %a,e !een exposed to TB !acteria if you spent time near someone wit% TB disease$ T%e TB !acteria are put into t%e air w%en a person wit% acti,e TB disease of t%e ungs or t%roat coug%s& snee'es& speaks& or sings$ Aou cannot get TB from

? ot%es Drinking g ass Eating utensi s Hands%ake Toi et *t%er surfaces

If you t%ink you %a,e !een exposed to someone wit% TB disease& you s%ou d contact your doctor or oca %ea t% department a!out getting a TB skin test or a specia TB ! ood test$ Be sure to te t%e doctor or nurse w%en you spent time wit% t%e person w%o %as TB disease$ It is important to know t%at a person w%o is exposed to TB !acteria is not a! e to spread t%e !acteria to ot%er peop e rig%t away$ *n y persons wit% acti,e TB disease can spread TB !acteria to ot%ers$ Before you wou d !e a! e to spread TB to ot%ers& you wou d %a,e to !reat%e in TB !acteria and !ecome infected$ T%en t%e acti,e !acteria wou d %a,e to mu tip y in your !ody and cause acti,e TB disease$ -t t%is point& you cou d possi! y spread TB !acteria to ot%ers$ (eop e wit% TB disease are most ike y to spread t%e !acteria to peop e t%ey spend time wit% e,ery day& suc% as fami y mem!ers& friends& coworkers& or sc%oo mates$ Some peop e de,e op TB disease soon "wit%in weeks# after !ecoming infected& !efore t%eir immune system can fig%t t%e TB !acteria$ *t%er peop e may get sick years ater& w%en t%eir immune system !ecomes weak for anot%er reason$ 2any peop e wit% TB infection ne,er de,e op TB disease$

TB Terms
B&)B a ,accine for TB named after t%e Frenc% scientists w%o de,e oped it& ?a mette and >uCrin$ B?> is rare y used in t%e 7nited States& !ut it is often gi,en to infants and sma c%i dren in ot%er countries w%ere TB is common$ &hest *ray B a picture of t%e inside of your c%est$ - c%est x.ray is made !y exposing a fi m to x.rays t%at pass t%roug% t%e c%est$ - doctor can ook at t%is fi m to see w%et%er TB !acteria %a,e damaged t%e ungs$ &ontact B a person w%o %as spent time wit% a person wit% infectious TB$

&!$t!re B a test to see w%et%er t%ere are TB !acteria in your p% egm or ot%er !ody f uids$ T%is test can take 6 to D weeks in most a!oratories$ Direct$y o#ser"ed therapy +DOT, B a way of %e ping patients take t%eir medicine for TB$ If you get D*T& you wi meet wit% a %ea t% care worker e,ery day or se,era times a week$ Aou wi meet at a p ace you !ot% agree on$ T%is can !e t%e TB c inic& your %ome or work& or any ot%er con,enient ocation$ Aou wi take your medicine w%i e t%e %ea t% care worker watc%es$ E tensi"e$y dr!g*resistant TB +-DR TB, . EDR TB is a rare type of TB disease t%at is resistant to near y a medicines used to treat TB$ E trap!$monary TB B TB disease in any part of t%e !ody ot%er t%an t%e ungs "for examp e& t%e kidney& spine& !rain& or ymp% nodes#$ HI. infection B infection wit% t%e %uman immunodeficiency ,irus& t%e ,irus t%at causes -IDS "acFuired immunodeficiency syndrome#$ - person wit% !ot% atent TB infection and HI3 infection is at ,ery %ig% risk for de,e oping TB disease$ I/H or isonia0id B a medicine used to pre,ent TB disease in peop e w%o %a,e atent TB infection$ I)H is a so one of t%e four medicines often used to treat TB disease$ Latent TB infection B a condition in w%ic% TB !acteria are a i,e !ut inacti,e in t%e !ody$ (eop e wit% atent TB infection %a,e no symptoms& don0t fee sick& can0t spread TB to ot%ers& and usua y %a,e a positi,e skin test reaction$ But t%ey may de,e op TB disease if t%ey do not recei,e treatment for atent TB infection$ %!$tidr!g*resistant TB +%DR TB, B TB disease caused !y !acteria resistant to two or more of t%e most important medicines/ I)H and RIF$ Mycobacterium tuberculosis B !acteria t%at cause atent TB infection and TB disease$ /egati"e B usua y refers to a test resu t$ If you %a,e a negati,e TB skin test reaction& you pro!a! y do not %a,e TB infection$ Positi"e B usua y refers to a test resu t$ If you %a,e a positi,e TB skin test reaction& you pro!a! y %a,e TB infection$ P!$monary TB B TB disease t%at occurs in t%e ungs& usua y producing a coug% t%at asts 4 weeks or onger$ 2ost TB disease is pu monary$ Resistant #acteria B !acteria t%at can no onger !e ki ed !y a certain medicine$ Rifampin +RIF, B one of t%e four medicines often used to treat TB disease$ It is considered a first. ine drug$

Smear B a test to see w%et%er t%ere are TB !acteria in your p% egm$ To do t%is test& a! workers smear t%e p% egm on a g ass s ide& stain t%e s ide wit% a specia stain& and ook for any TB !acteria on t%e s ide$ T%is test usua y takes ; day to get t%e resu ts$ Sp!t!m B p% egm coug%ed up from deep inside t%e ungs$ Sputum is examined for TB !acteria using a smear5 part of t%e sputum can a so !e used to do a cu ture$ TB #$ood test B a new test t%at uses a ! ood samp e to find out if you are infected wit% TB !acteria$ T%e test measures t%e response to TB proteins w%en t%ey are mixed wit% a sma amount of ! ood$ Examp es of t%ese TB ! ood tests inc ude GuantiFER*)H.TB >o d In.tu!e "GFT.>IT# and T.SpotH$TB test$ TB disease B an i ness in w%ic% TB !acteria are mu tip ying and attacking a part of t%e !ody& usua y t%e ungs$ T%e symptoms of TB disease inc ude weakness& weig%t oss& fe,er& no appetite& c%i s& and sweating at nig%t$ *t%er symptoms of TB disease depend on w%ere in t%e !ody t%e !acteria are growing$ If TB disease is in t%e ungs "pu monary TB#& t%e symptoms may inc ude a !ad coug%& pain in t%e c%est& and coug%ing up ! ood$ - person wit% TB disease may !e infectious and spread TB !acteria to ot%ers$ TB skin test B a test t%at is often used to find out if you are infected wit% TB !acteria$ - iFuid ca ed tu!ercu in is in@ected under t%e skin on t%e ower part of your arm$ If you %a,e a positi,e reaction to t%is test& you pro!a! y %a,e TB infection$ *t%er tests wi !e needed to find out if you %a,e atent TB infection or TB disease$ T!#erc!$in or PPD B a iFuid t%at is in@ected under t%e skin on t%e ower part of your arm during a TB skin test$ If you %a,e atent TB infection& you wi pro!a! y %a,e a positi,e reaction to t%e tu!ercu in$