Originally posted by AlaskaDenise
From the CDC:
Questions and Answers About TB
2005
What is TB?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs. But, TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal. TB disease was once the leading cause of death in the United States.
TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The bacteria are put into the air when a person with active TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs or sneezes. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.
However, not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. People who are not sick have what is called latent TB infection. People who have latent TB infection do not feel sick, do not have any symptoms, and cannot spread TB to others. But, some people with latent TB infection go on to get TB disease.
People with active TB disease can be treated and cured if they seek medical help. Even better, people with latent TB infection can take medicine so that they will not develop active TB disease.
What is latent TB infection?
In most people who breathe in TB bacteria and become infected, the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from growing. The bacteria become inactive, but they remain alive in the body and can become active later. This is called latent TB infection. People with latent TB infection
* have no symptoms
* don't feel sick
* can't spread TB to others
* usually have a positive skin test reaction
* can develop active TB disease if they do not receive treatment for latent TB infection
Many people who have latent TB infection never develop active TB disease. In these people, the TB bacteria remain inactive for a lifetime without causing disease. But in other people, especially people who have weak immune systems, the bacteria become active and cause TB disease.
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What is active TB disease?
TB bacteria become active if the immune system can't stop them from growing. The active bacteria begin to multiply in the body and cause active TB disease. The bacteria attack the body and destroy tissue. If this occurs in the lungs, the bacteria can actually create a hole in the lung. Some people develop active TB disease soon after becoming infected, before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may get sick later, when their immune system becomes weak for another reason.
Babies and young children often have weak immune systems. People infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, have very weak immune systems. Other people can have weak immune systems, too, especially people with any of these conditions:
* substance abuse
* diabetes mellitus
* silicosis
* cancer of the head or neck
* leukemia or Hodgkin's disease
* severe kidney disease
* low body weight
* certain medical treatments (such as corticosteroid treatment or organ transplants)
* specialized treatment for rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn?s disease
Symptoms of TB depend on where in the body the TB bacteria are growing. TB bacteria usually grow in the lungs. TB in the lungs may cause symptoms such as
* a bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer
* pain in the chest
* coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs)
Other symptoms of active TB disease are
* weakness or fatigue
* weight loss
* no appetite
* chills
* fever
* sweating at night
Questions and Answers About TB
2005
What is TB?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs. But, TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal. TB disease was once the leading cause of death in the United States.
TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The bacteria are put into the air when a person with active TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs or sneezes. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.
However, not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. People who are not sick have what is called latent TB infection. People who have latent TB infection do not feel sick, do not have any symptoms, and cannot spread TB to others. But, some people with latent TB infection go on to get TB disease.
People with active TB disease can be treated and cured if they seek medical help. Even better, people with latent TB infection can take medicine so that they will not develop active TB disease.
What is latent TB infection?
In most people who breathe in TB bacteria and become infected, the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from growing. The bacteria become inactive, but they remain alive in the body and can become active later. This is called latent TB infection. People with latent TB infection
* have no symptoms
* don't feel sick
* can't spread TB to others
* usually have a positive skin test reaction
* can develop active TB disease if they do not receive treatment for latent TB infection
Many people who have latent TB infection never develop active TB disease. In these people, the TB bacteria remain inactive for a lifetime without causing disease. But in other people, especially people who have weak immune systems, the bacteria become active and cause TB disease.
Back to Top of Page
What is active TB disease?
TB bacteria become active if the immune system can't stop them from growing. The active bacteria begin to multiply in the body and cause active TB disease. The bacteria attack the body and destroy tissue. If this occurs in the lungs, the bacteria can actually create a hole in the lung. Some people develop active TB disease soon after becoming infected, before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may get sick later, when their immune system becomes weak for another reason.
Babies and young children often have weak immune systems. People infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, have very weak immune systems. Other people can have weak immune systems, too, especially people with any of these conditions:
* substance abuse
* diabetes mellitus
* silicosis
* cancer of the head or neck
* leukemia or Hodgkin's disease
* severe kidney disease
* low body weight
* certain medical treatments (such as corticosteroid treatment or organ transplants)
* specialized treatment for rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn?s disease
Symptoms of TB depend on where in the body the TB bacteria are growing. TB bacteria usually grow in the lungs. TB in the lungs may cause symptoms such as
* a bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer
* pain in the chest
* coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs)
Other symptoms of active TB disease are
* weakness or fatigue
* weight loss
* no appetite
* chills
* fever
* sweating at night
It is important to understand that there is a difference between being infected with TB and having TB disease. Someone who is infected with TB has the TB germs, or bacteria, in his/her body. The body's defenses, though, are protecting them from the germs, and they are not sick. Someone with TB disease is sick and, if not properly treated, can spread the disease to other people. A person with symptoms of TB disease or evidence of infection needs to be seen by a physician.
Any HCW or Docs want to weigh in?
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