What is TB?
When symptoms of respiratory TB occur, they may include:
- coughing up mucus or blood
- fevers, chills and night sweats
- loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss
- always feeling tired and fatigued
- shortness of breath and chest pain
Symptoms of TB can begin gradually and worsen over time.
TB is caused by
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing bacteria that thrives in areas of the body that are rich in blood and oxygen, such as the lungs. TB is most often found in the lungs; this is called respiratory TB. TB can also spread to other parts of the body; this is called non-respiratory TB.
If a person's immune system becomes unable to prevent the bacteria from growing, the TB becomes active.
- For info sheets on
pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB, see the
TB clinic page.
The
tuberculin skin test shows whether or not a person has been infected. The test cannot differentiate between inactive (latent TB infection) or active TB disease.
A
chest X-ray can show whether TB disease has affected the lungs.
A
sputum test shows if TB germs are present in coughed-up sputum from the lungs. It can help determine if the person is contagious.
To avoid getting an active TB infection, do not spend long periods of time in stuffy, enclosed rooms with anyone who has active TB until that person has been treated for at least two weeks.
If you live with someone who has active TB, help and encourage the person to follow treatment instructions.
If you work in a facility that cares for people who have untreated TB, use protective measures, such as face masks.
People with TB disease of the lungs can be infectious to others. Once the person has taken medications to kill the TB germs, they are no longer infectious and are able to resume their normal activities.
- For info sheets on
latent TB infection, see the
TB clinic page under TB prevention.
