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Tuberculosis

What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that is spread from person to person through the air. TB most often affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys or the spine.

Is it common?
Every year, approximately eight million new cases of TB develop worldwide. In the United States, over 22,000 cases are reported each year. It is estimated that ten to fifteen million people in the United States are infected with the TB germ, meaning that they have the potential to develop TB disease in the future.

Who contracts tuberculosis?
Anyone can contract TB, but some people are at higher risk. At risk people include:

• People who share the same breathing space (family, friends and co-workers) with someone who has TB
  
  
• Poor people
  
  
• Homeless people
  
  
• Foreign-born people who come from countries with a high TB incidence rate
  
  
• Nursing home residents
  
  
• Prisoners
  
  
• Alcoholics and intravenous drug users
  
  
• People with medical conditions such as diabetes, certain types of cancers or underweight
  
  
• People with a compromised immune system due to HIV infection

How is it transmitted?
TB is spread person to person through the air. A person who has TB can spread the disease by coughing, sneezing, laughing or singing.

What are the symptoms?
In general, symptoms include feeling tired or weak, weight loss, fever and night sweats. When TB affects the lungs, symptoms can include a cough, chest pain and coughing up blood. Other symptoms can occur depending on what area of the body is affected by TB.

How is tuberculosis diagnosed?
Tuberculosis is diagnosed through a skin test. If the test is positive, your medical provider will request other tests to confirm if you have TB infection or TB disease.

What is the testing process?
When you receive the skin test, a testing material, called tuberculin, is inserted just under the skin. Most often, the test is administered on the inside of the arm. The person receiving the test must return within 48 to 72 hours after receiving the test. If the skin shows a reaction to the tuberculin, the size of the reaction will be measured.

• What if the test is negative?
  A negative test usually signifies that a person is not infected; however, it is possible to have a false result if the person has been recently infected. It usually takes two to ten weeks after being exposed to TB before the skin test will have a positive reaction to the tuberculin. The test can also be falsely negative when the person's immune system is not functioning properly.
  
  
• What if the test is positive?
  A positive reaction usually means that the person has been infected with the TB germ. It does not necessarily mean that the person has TB disease. Other tests, such as an x-ray or sputum sample, are needed to confirm that the person has TB disease.

What is the difference between tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease?
A person with a TB infection have the germ that causes TB, but the germ is currently inactive. People with a TB infection cannot transmit the disease, but they could develop TB disease in the future, particularly if they are in one of the high risk groups. Because of this, medicine is often prescribed in order to prevent people with a TB infection from developing TB disease.

TB disease means that the germs are active in the person. A person with TB disease not only suffers from the symptoms of TB, but they also transmit the disease to others. Permanent body damage and death can result from TB disease. Medicines are given that can cure TB disease are prescribed.

How is it treated?
If you have active TB disease, you will need to take several different medicines because many bacteria have to be killed. Taking several medicines will do a better job of killing all of the bacteria and prevent them from becoming resistant to the medicines.

The most common medicines used to cure TB are

• Isoniazid (INH)
  
  
• Rifampin (RIF)
  
  
• Ethambutol
  
  
• Pyrazinamide

If you have active TB disease of the lungs or throat, you are probably infectious. You need to stay home from work or school so that you do not spread TB to other people. After taking your medicine for a few weeks, you will feel better and may no longer be infectious to others. Your doctor or nurse will tell you when you can return to work or school or visit with friends.

Having active TB disease should not stop you from leading a normal life. When you are no longer infectious or feeling sick, you can do the same things you did before you had active TB disease. The medicine that you are taking should not affect your strength, sexual function or ability to work. If you take your medicine as your doctor or nurse tells you, the medicine will kill the TB bacteria and keep you from becoming ill again.

Links you can use
Health Education Resource Center (512) 245-2309
Walk-ins and appointments are welcome to obtain confidential answers to health questions. Located in suite 201 of the Student Health Center at the corner of Sessom and Tomas Rivera Drive.

Student Health Center (512) 245-2167
Located at the corner of Sessom and Tomas Rivera Drive.
Confidential information and care is available by appointment with a physician or nurse. There are no fees for medical care at the Student Health Center. However, there may be fees incurred if laboratory tests, medications, specialist or emergency hospital care is needed.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

EMedicine Health

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Last Modified: June 1, 2006