This overview is a sample of the type of information available to you at Griffin Hospital's Community Health Resource Center. It is not intended to replace your physician's instructions in the management of your health problems, but to better inform you about a particular illness and alert you to the availability of other materials. If you have a question about any piece of information presented in theses fact sheets, please call your physician, or stop by the Community Health Resource Center at your convenience.

  TUBERCULOSIS

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection that most commonly affects the lungs. It is contagious and is spread through air droplets. When a person with active TB coughs, sneezes, or spits, the TB bacteria can be spread to other people. Those who have a weakened immune system are most at risk.

When a healthy person is infected with TB, their body’s immune system usually is able to destroy the TB bacteria. In some people, the immune system is able to contain the bacteria, which prevents it from spreading. These people do not get symptoms and are not contagious. This is known as inactive or dormant TB. Inactive TB, however, can become active later especially during times the immune system becomes weakened.

Persons with weakened immune systems, however, are not able to fight off the bacteria. The bacteria grow and if untreated, spread to other parts of the body, causing serious problems and even death.

It is important to diagnose and treat TB as early as possible to help the infected individuals and to prevent it from being spread to others. Most people with active tuberculosis can be cured with medications within one year.

WHAT CAUSES TUBERCULOSIS?

Tuberculosis is caused by a bacteria. When a person has active TB, they can spread it to other people through air droplets. Although you can get TB from a short exposure to someone with active TB, usually it takes long, close contact for the infection to be spread. TB can also be caused by unpasteurized milk, but this type is rare in the US.

WHO GETS TUBERCULOSIS?

TB is most common in people with weakened immune systems. This includes the elderly, people who have received organ transplants, people on medications which subdue the immune system, or people with HIV. However, adults and children with normal immunity can also get TB. Once someone has active TB, it can spread quickly among people who share close quarters.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

Common symptoms of TB are weakness and fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, frequent coughing, night sweats, and shortness of breath. In the early stages of TB, sometimes symptoms may not be present. People with severely weakened immune systems sometimes never have symptoms.

DIAGNOSING TUBERCULOSIS

If you think that you have been exposed to someone with tuberculosis, see your doctor right away. Your doctor may do a skin test to help assess your exposure. If the first test is negative, a second test may be done within a month. If you have any symptoms, your doctor may obtain a sample of your sputum (saliva) for lab testing and/or an x-ray of your chest. Other tests may also be done if the doctor wants to check for the infection in other parts of your body.

TREATMENT

The treatment for TB may consist of between two and six medications that need to be taken every day for six months to a year. The doctor will choose which medications and combinations of medications are best for you. You will be checked regularly by the doctor to see how you are doing. You may have blood tests, chest x-rays, and samples of your sputum checked regularly. This will show how your body is responding to the medications. It will also let your doctor know when you are no longer contagious. Because it is so important to take the medications correctly, someone may be sent to your home, or you may be asked to come in to a clinic to take your medications each day. It is important to take the medications regularly in order for them to work. Otherwise, the infection can relapse and become much worse.

For people who have been infected, but are not ill, medication can be given to help their body fight off the bacteria and prevent the infection from becoming active later.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

It is very important to follow the prescribed treatment. Some people stop taking the medications as soon as they start feeling better, but it takes a long time to kill the TB bacteria and the medications are needed for a long time after you feel completely well. If the bacteria are not completely killed, they can come back even stronger and in a slightly different form so that the medications may no longer work.

Your doctor will ask about family members and others you have been in close contact with so they can be tested and treated if necessary. For those who have been exposed or infected but are not ill, the doctor can order preventive medication if it is appropriate.

Because TB can be spread so quickly, screening for TB is common, especially for people who are at high risk for getting TB or people who are in close contact with high-risk groups. This is done to try and identify who has active TB so they can be treated before they spread it to others.

Screening for TB consists of a skin test (PPD) that will indicate whether you have been infected by the bacteria. If you have, the skin in the tested area will become red and slightly swollen. Although this does not mean that you have active tuberculosis, it does show that that you have been exposed to and have reacted to the TB bacteria at some time in the past. Further testing is then done to determine if you need treatment and if so, which treatment would be best for you.

COPING

Coping with any illness can be stressful. Treatment for tuberculosis requires almost a year of medication for most people. During this time, it is important to eat nourishing meals, get enough rest, and take your medications on schedule. It may be helpful to communicate with others who are going through the same thing. Support groups and information networks can help you cope. You may also find it helpful to talk with family and friends.

Please note that this information is intended to give you a general overview of the topic. It is not intended to replace advice or instruction of a health professional. We recommend that you consult your physician, nurse, or qualified health professional regarding the information in this publication. © 1994 Planetree, Inc. Reproduction of this material in any form is limited to license agreement.

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