Tuberculosis (TB)
Information on Tuberculosis (TB)
What is Tuberculosis (TB)
TB is a bacterial infection. TB that affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) is the most contagious type, but it usually only spreads after prolonged exposure to someone with the illness.
It is spread when a person with active TB disease in their lungs coughs or sneezes and someone else inhales the expelled droplets, which contain TB bacteria. Although TB is spread in a similar way to a cold or the flu, it isn't as contagious. TB is not spread by sharing cutlery, mugs, dishes, etc or short contacts such as sitting next to someone on a bus.
TB is a serious condition, but it is curable with a course of antibiotics, usually lasting six months.
Symptoms
Not everyone with TB is infectious. People with a TB infection that occurs outside the lungs (extrapulmonary TB) don't spread the infection.
In most healthy people, the immune system is able to destroy the bacteria that cause TB. In some cases, the bacteria infect the body but don't cause any symptoms (latent TB), or the infection begins to cause symptoms within weeks, months or even years (active TB). Up to 10% of people with latent TB eventually develop active TB years after the initial infection.
People who are ill with TB may display some of the following symptoms.
- A cough that lasts for more than three weeks
- Fever (high temperature)
- Heavy night sweats
- Loss of Appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue (extreme tiredeness)
Testing for TB
In some circumstances, you may need to have a test to check for latent TB – where you've been infected with TB bacteria, but don't have any symptoms.
For example, you may need to have a test if you've been in close contact with someone known to have active TB disease involving the lungs.
If you’re identified as having potentially been in close contact with the active case, then you will be contacted individually and provided with relevant information, and invited to attend to be screened / tested for TB.
You are strongly advised to attend the appointment to discuss any concerns you may have with one of the specialist TB nurses, and be tested for TB.
Treatment
With treatment, TB can almost always be cured. A course of antibiotics will usually need to be taken for six months.
Several different antibiotics are used because some forms of TB are resistant to certain antibiotics. If you're diagnosed with pulmonary TB, you'll be contagious for about two to three weeks into your course of treatment.
A person diagnosed with TB should stay away from work, college or university until their TB treatment team advises them it’s safe to return, to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.
What if someone I know has TB?
There is no reason to stop any of your daily activities. Even if you have been a contact of a case of infectious TB, you only have a small chance of developing TB.
When someone is diagnosed with TB, their treatment team will assess whether other people are at risk of infection.
This may include close contacts, such as people living with the person who has TB, as well as casual contacts, such as work colleagues and social contacts. Anyone who's thought to be at risk will be asked to go for testing, and will be given advice and any necessary treatment after their results.
Further Information
Further general information about TB is available online from the NHS or NHS Inform