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Tuberculosis
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Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
On behalf of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)
TABLE OF CONTENTS CURE FOR TUBERCULOSIS
Tuberculosis: The Basics...............................................................................1
Is there a cure for Tuberculosis?
What is Tuberculosis?..........................................................................1
If you have TB disease, it is completely treatable and curable. As long as you
follow the treatment recommended by your doctor or nurse.
How does it spread?.............................................................................1
Having TB disease shouldn’t stop you from living a normal life. As long as
TB Infection vs TB Disease....................................................................1 you’re not infectious anymore, people with TB are often able to do the same
things they could before the disease.
History of Tuberculosis.................................................................................2
Is there a vaccine for Tuberculosis?
TB Symptoms and Risk..................................................................................3
The Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is used for TB disease. This vaccine is
Symptom Checklist...............................................................................3 not widely used in the US. However, in countries where TB is more common,
BCG is often given to infants and small children. BCG does not always protect
High-Risk for TB....................................................................................3 people from getting TB.

Tests and Treatment.....................................................................................4 In the US, BGC is considered only for people who meet specific criteria,
according to a TB expert.
Cure for Tuberculosis....................................................................................5

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TESTS AND TREATMENT TUBERCULOSIS: THE BASICS
TB Testing
What is Tuberculosis?
Getting tested for TB can protect yourself, your family and friends, and your
community. There are two types of tests for TB infection.
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It
usually affects the lungs, but it can also affect other areas of the body, like the
TB Blood Test: This test involves drawing blood and sending it to a laboratory for brain, kidneys, or spine.
analysis and results.
Not everyone infected with the bacteria has symptoms or develops the
TB Skin Test: This test involves injecting a small amount of fluid into the skin on
disease.
your lower arm. After 48-72 hours, you return to your doctor to read the results.

If your test results are positive, you have TB germs in your body and will need How does it spread?
further testing to determine whether the bacteria is active. This may include a
TB bacteria spread through the air. If someone with the TB disease coughs,
chest X-ray or a sputum test.
sneezes, speaks, or sings, TB bacteria can get into the air and infect others.
If your test comes back negative, you likely do not have the TB germs. Your doctor
may order more TB tests if you have symptoms of the disease, you have HIV People with the TB infection cannot spread the TB bacteria.
infection, or your exposure to TB germs was recent.
What’s the difference between TB infection and TB disease?
TB Treatment Latent TB infection: The TB germs in the body are not active. These people
Several treatment regimens for latent TB infection exist in the US, including have no symptoms and cannot spread the TB germs to others.
Isoniazid (INH), Rifapentine (RPT), and Rifampin (RIF). These can be used alone or
TB disease: The TB germs in the body are active. People with TB disease usually
in combination.
have symptoms and can spread the germs to others.
Guidelines for Treatment of Latent TB Infection

There are also treatment regimens in place for TB disease. This treatment can take
4-9 months, depending on the regimen. Healthcare providers can choose the
appropriate regimen based on coexisting medical conditions, drug-susceptibility
results, and potential for drug-drug interactions.

The State TB Control Offices and TB Centers of Excellence for Training, Education,
and Medical Consultation can provide additional support in treating people with TB
disease.

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HISTORY OF TUBERCULOSIS TB SYMPTOMS CHECKLIST
History Symptom Checklist
Tuberculosis has existed for a long time. Skeletal remains of prehistoric Mark the circles below if you have any of the following symptoms:
humans (around 4000 BC) showed signs of the disease, which is also
o A bad cough that lasts 3+ weeks
known as the “white death” or “consumption.”
o Pain in your chest
Tuberculosis was not identified as a singular disease until the 1820s.
Scientists discovered that tubercles were the cause of pulmonary o Coughing up blood or sputum
tuberculosis. Later, J.L. Schönlein, a German professor of medicine,
o Weakness or fatigue
published the name “tuberculosis” in 1832.
o Weight loss
In the 1800s, tuberculosis was the cause of nearly 25% of all deaths in
Europe. By the 1950s, with the development of the bacille Calmette- o No appetite
Guérin (BCG) vaccine, mortality in Europe had decreased about 90%.
o Chills or fever

“TUBERCULOSIS APPEARS TO BE AS OLD AS o Sweating at night

HUMANITY ITSELF” – DAVID L. SCHLOSSBERG, MD Bring this booklet to your next doctor’s visit to discuss symptoms and potential
TB testing.
Famous Tuberculosis Deaths
People at High-Risk for TB disease
Over the years, many famous people have died of TB disease, including:
People with compromised or weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of
 1821: John Keats – English poet (25) developing TB disease. These include:

 1887: John Henry “Doc” Holiday – American  Babies and young children
gunslinger and gambler (36)
 Elderly people
 1924: Franz Kafka – Bohemian Jewish novelist
(40)  People with HIV

 1967: Vivien Leigh (to the right) – British  People infected with TB bacteria in the last 2 years
Actress (53)
 People sick with other diseases that weaken the immune system

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