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Tuberculosis_Get-the-Facts

tuberculosis

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11 views

Tuberculosis_Get-the-Facts

tuberculosis

Uploaded by

edgar aguilera
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

Page 1 of 4 mc5686-01pf

PAT I E N T E D U C AT I O N

Latent Tuberculosis

What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis, also called TB, is a disease caused by bacteria. It most often affects the lungs. However, it can
affect other parts of the body, including the brain, kidneys and the spine. It can be spread through the air from
person to person. It can remain in the air even after a person with contagious TB leaves the room.

What is the difference between latent TB infection and TB disease?


People who have TB disease are sick and usually have symptoms of the disease. A person with TB disease
might feel fatigued, lose weight, have a fever and have night sweats. If the TB disease is in their lungs, they
may also cough, have chest pain and cough up blood.

Those with TB disease have many active bacteria in their body and can spread the disease. TB disease is
treated with medicine. If a person with TB disease is not treated, they can have serious health problems, and
they may die.

It is possible to be infected with tuberculosis and have no symptoms. Those who are infected but not sick have
latent TB. People with latent TB have the bacteria in their body, but the bacteria is not active.

People who have latent TB cannot spread the bacteria to others. However, they may develop TB disease in the
future. To prevent this, they can take medicine to treat latent TB. This can stop them from getting sick and
spreading TB to others.

Who is likely to develop TB disease?


If a person has a latent TB infection, they are more likely to develop TB disease when:
• They have an HIV infection.
• They are younger than 5 years old.
• They have been infected with TB in the last two years.
• They have a weakened immune system or other health problems such as diabetes, kidney failure or
lung disease.
• They drink a lot of alcohol or use recreational drugs.
• They smoke more than one pack of cigarettes a day.
• They have not been treated correctly for TB disease in the past.
• They are underweight or malnourished.
Page 2 of 4 mc5686-01pf

How is TB detected?
Both latent tuberculosis and TB disease can be detected with a TB skin test or blood test.

TB blood test
For the TB blood test, a health care provider takes a sample of your blood. Your provider will tell you how you
receive the results of the test.

TB skin test
During a TB skin test, a health care provider uses a small needle to put a fluid called tuberculin just under
your skin. This is usually done on the inside of your forearm. After the fluid is injected, you may be able to see
the small bubble for a few hours.

After the test, you return within 2 to 3 days so your health care provider can determine if there was a reaction
to the test. If there is a reaction, the size of the reaction is measured to see if you have a positive result.

What if my results are positive?


If your results are positive that means you have been infected with TB germs. It does not mean that you
have TB disease. Your health care provider will do more tests to determine if you have latent TB or TB
disease. These may include a chest X-ray or sputum sample, which is a sample of your phlegm. This will help
determine if you have TB disease.

What if my results are negative?


If your test results are negative, that usually means you do not have a latent TB infection or TB disease.
However, your result may be falsely negative if your immune system is not working as it should. Your result
may also be falsely negative if you have been infected recently. That is because it takes 2 to 8 weeks after
infection for your immune system to produce a response that is detected by the test. If it has been less than
eight weeks since you were exposed to someone with TB disease, you may need to do another test. Talk to your
health care provider about whether you need another test.

What if I had the BCG vaccine?


The BCG vaccine, or bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine, is a vaccine for TB. It is not routinely used in the United
States, but it is often given to infants and small children in places where TB disease is still common. The BCG
vaccine does not provide long-lasting protection against TB. It does not protect adults against TB very well. You
can still get a TB infection or TB disease even after you were vaccinated with BCG. You still need to be tested
to see if you have latent TB or TB disease.

The TB blood test is preferred for those who have received the BCG vaccine. It is not affected by the vaccine
and will not show a false positive result.

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Page 3 of 4 mc5686-01pf

How am I treated for latent TB infection?


Treatment is usually recommended for people with latent TB. Treatment using medication can decrease your
risk of developing active TB disease by 90%. When you lower your risk of developing this disease, you protect
others who may be vulnerable. This disease can cause serious health problems and death. If you do not take
your medication as directed, you may get TB disease in the future.

Medications to treat latent TB infection


There are a number of medications your health care provider may prescribe to treat your latent TB infection.
It is important you take the medications every day or as your provider tells you. This is the only way to
completely treat the latent TB infection.

Medications available to treat TB infection include:


• Rifampin. You take this medication daily for four months.
• Isoniazid and Rifapentine. You take these medications weekly for 12 weeks.
• Isoniazid and Rifampin. You take these medications daily for three months.
• Isoniazid. You take this medication daily for nine months.

Your health care provider works with you to determine which medications will work best for you. You may
need to make changes to your habits for treatment to be effective. The following are some things to consider
when discussing treatment options with your provider.
• Length of treatment. Treating latent TB can take between 3 to 9 months.
• Side effects. The medications to help treat TB infection are safe, but some people may experience side effects.
• Cost. The cost of your treatment depends on your insurance. Talk to your health care provider or a
representative from your health insurance to determine the cost of this treatment. You may also check
with your state health department for help paying for your treatment.
• Alcohol. When you are treating latent TB, do not drink alcohol. Drinking alcohol while taking TB
medication can harm your liver.
• Birth control. If you take birth control pills, you may need to use a second form of birth control during
your treatment. Some TB medications can make birth control pills less effective.

Side effects of TB medications


Medications to treat TB infection are very safe. However, some people can have side effects. Side effects are
usually mild and get better on their own. Many people take TB medications every day without any side effects.

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Page 4 of 4 mc5686-01pf

Common side effects


It is normal to experience the following side effects. You do not need to contact your health care provider if you
experience any of these.
• Mild nausea during the first week of treatment. You may try eating a small amount of food with your
medication or take the medication at bedtime. This may help with nausea.
• Yellow or orange-colored urine or tears.
• Slight body aches or mild fatigue for a few days.

Rare side effects


Contact your health care team right away if you have any of the following rare side effects:
• Fever for three days or more.
• Reduced appetite, weight loss or feeling tired for no reason.
• Severe nausea or vomiting.
• Pain in your stomach.
• Dark urine (the color of tea or coffee).
• Yellow skin or eyes. In Black and brown people, yellowing of the whites of the eyes is often more noticeable.
• Skin rash or itching.
• Numb or tingling feeling in your hands or feet.

Contact your health care team if you have a cough that lasts more than three weeks, you are coughing up
blood or you have night sweats. This could mean you have active TB disease.

What happens if I don’t take my medication for latent TB infection?


If you do not take the medication as your provider tells you, you could become sick with active TB disease
at any time in the future. This puts you and those around you at risk for serious disease and death. Protect
yourself, your household and others by following the directions your provider gives you.

If you have questions about tuberculosis or treatment, talk to your health care team. They want to help you
understand this disease, and they can help support you through treatment.

This material is for your education and information only. This content does not replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
New medical research may change this information. If you have questions about a medical condition, always talk with your health care provider.

4©2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research MC5686-01PF

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