Tuberculosis (TB)
is a disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that is
spread from person to person through the air. TB usually
affects the lungs. The bacteria are put into the air when
a person with TB of the lung coughs, sneezes, laughs,
or sings. TB can also affect other parts of the body,
such as the brain, the kidney, or the spine. Tuberculosis
is a disease that can be cured if treated properly.
TB can affect anyone of any age
Anyone can get TB, but some people are
at higher risk. Those at higher risk include:
- Infants and small children
- People who share the same breathing
space (such as family members, friends, coworkers) with
someone who has TB disease
- People with low income who live in
crowded conditions, have poor nutrition, and have poor
health care
- Homeless people
- People born in countries where a lot
of people have TB
- Nursing home residents
- Prisoners
- Alcoholics and injection drug users
- People with medical conditions such
as diabetes, kidney failure, and those with weakened
immune systems (such as HIV or AIDS)
The symptoms of TB disease may include:
Feeling weak or sick, rapid weight loss
(over a few weeks or months), fever, or night sweats.
Symptoms of TB of the lungs may include cough, chest pain,
or coughing up blood. Other symptoms depend on the particular
part of the body that is affected.
TB infection is different than TB disease
People with TB disease are sick from bacteria
that are active in their body. They usually have one or
more of the symptoms of TB. These people are often capable
of giving the infection to others. Medications can cure
TB disease; usually three or more medications are given
to treat TB disease. People with TB infection (without
disease) have the bacteria that cause TB in their body.
They are not sick because the germ lies inactive in the
body. They cannot spread the germ to others. Medications
are often prescribed for these people to prevent them
from developing TB disease in the future.
A skin test can tell if you have TB
infection
You can get a TB skin test from a doctor
or local health department. A negative test usually means
the person is not infected. However, the test may be falsely
negative in a person who has been recently infected (it
usually takes 2 to 10 weeks after exposure to a person
with TB disease for the skin test to be positive). The
test may also be falsely negative if the person's immune
system is not working properly.
A positive skin test reaction usually
means that the person has been infected with TB. It does
not necessarily mean that the person has TB disease. Other
tests, such as an x-ray or sputum sample, are needed to
see if the person has TB disease.
If you have TB infection or disease:
- Get all the tests required by your
doctor.
- Stay at home until your doctor tells
you it is okay to return to work or school. Do not have
visitors (especially children) until your doctor says
it is okay.
- Keep all your medical appointments.
- Take all your TB medications as prescribed.
In Maryland, the local health department works with
doctors to treat almost all people with TB disease.
The local health department will provide the correct
antibiotics and make sure they are taken correctly.
Medications must be taken for long periods of time (6
months or more).
Adapted from Centers for Disease Control "Tuberculosis-Get
the Facts!"
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Maryland Department of Health
& Mental Hygiene
Epidemiology & Disease Control Program
May, 2002 |
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