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Tuberculosis

The Basics

Written by the doctors and editors at UpToDate пїЅ пїЅ

What is tuberculosis? " пїЅ Tuberculosis is an infection that usually affects the lungs. It is not very common in the United States. But in other parts of the world, tuberculosis is still a serious problem. Tuberculosis is sometimes called "TB. " пїЅ пїЅ пїЅ

How does TB spread? " пїЅ You can catch tuberculosis from anyone who is sick with TB. The germ that causes TB can travel in the tiny drops of fluid that spray when a person coughs or sneezes. If you inhale those drops, you can get infected. пїЅ пїЅ

What happens if I get infected with TB? " пїЅ If you get infected with TB, you probably will not get sick right away. Instead 1 of 2 things might happen: пїЅ пїЅ

  • Your bodys infection fighting system, called the immune system, might kill off the germs that cause TB. If that happens, you will not get sick with TB.
  • Your body's immune system might be able to control the germs but not completely kill them off. This is called "latent TB. " пїЅ People with latent TB do not get sick right away, but they can get sick later on. People who are sick with TB have what doctors call "active TB. " пїЅ

What are the symptoms of active TB? " пїЅ The symptoms of active TB can include: пїЅ пїЅ

  • A cough that lasts a long time
  • Fever
  • Sweating at night
  • Losing weight without trying to

Should I see a doctor or nurse? " пїЅ See your doctor or nurse if: пїЅ пїЅ

  • You have been near someone who was sick with TB
  • You have a cough that has lasted longer than 3 or 4 weeks and does not seem to be getting better
  • You have other symptoms of TB, such as fever, sweating at night, and unexpected weight loss

Is there a test for TB? " пїЅ Yes. Your doctor or nurse can test you for TB by giving you a shot that contains tiny pieces of the dead TB germ. You will get the shot in the arm. Then, 2 or 3 days later, your doctor or nurse will need to look at the spot where you got the shot to see if you form a bump, and to see how big the bump is. Only a doctor or nurse can tell whether the bump from a TB test is positive or negative. пїЅ пїЅ

There is also a blood test for TB. But that test is not available everywhere. пїЅ пїЅ

What if my TB test is positive? " пїЅ If your TB test is positive, you will probably need treatment. But the treatment will differ depending on whether you are sick. пїЅ пїЅ

People who are not sick and have latent TB must take medicine every day for 3 to 9 months. People who are sick with active TB must take 4 different medicines every day for at least 2 months. After that, some people can go down to 2 medicines, but all people must keep taking some medicines for another 4 months. That means that treatment for active TB lasts at least 6 months total. пїЅ пїЅ

If your doctor or nurse gives you medicine to treat TB, it is very important that you take it all. It's hard to take medicine day after day for months. But if you do not take all your medicine, you could get sick with TB, or the medicine could lose its effect. If the medicine loses its effect, the infection can become even harder to treat. пїЅ пїЅ

TB is a serious disease. It can lead to death. That's why it's so important that you take treatment very seriously. пїЅ пїЅ

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. пїЅ пїЅ

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. пїЅ пїЅ

Topic 15485 Version 4.0 пїЅ пїЅ

Release: 22.8 - C22.208 пїЅ пїЅ

пїЅ пїЅ 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. пїЅ пїЅ

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пїЅ пїЅ 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. пїЅ пїЅ