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TB Awareness
When most people hear the term "Tuberculosis," they think of a disease that killed one out of seven people in the 1900s. But Tuberculosis, or TB, is still in existence today. Although the number of cases is declining, TB continues to pose a health risk.
TB is caused by bacteria that attack the lungs; however, it can also attack other parts of the body such as the spine, brain, and kidney. TB is spread through the air. When a person with active TB coughs, sneezes, or evens speaks, others can breathe in the bacteria and become infected. Once the bacteria is in the body, it can begin to grow.
There are two types of TB infection: latent and active. Latent TB is when a person who breathes in the bacteria but their body is able to stop it from growing. The bacteria stay in the body and can become active later, particularly in persons who have weak immune systems. A person with latent TB has no symptoms and can't spread TB to others.
Active TB means that the body was not able to keep the bacteria from growing so the bacteria attack the body. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms of TB depend on where in the body the TB bacteria are growing. TB in the lungs may cause symptoms such as a bad cough that lasts three weeks or longer or pain in the chest. Other symptoms may include:
• weakness or fatigue
• weight loss
• no appetite
• chills
• fever
• sweating at night
A simple skin test can be performed to find out if you have TB. The test can be performed at your health department or doctor's office. Active TB can be treated and often a variety of medicines are used.
You should get tested for TB if:
• You have spent time with a person known or suspected to have active TB disease; or
• You have HIV infection or another condition that weakens your immune system and puts you at high risk for active TB disease; or
• You have symptoms of active TB disease; or
• You are from a country where active TB disease is very common (most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Russia); or
• You live somewhere in the United States where active TB disease is more common such as a homeless shelter, migrant farm camp, prison or jail, and some nursing homes; or
• You inject illegal drugs.
Learn more about TB by going to www.cdc.gov.