What is tuberculosis?Tuberculosis or TB is a disease caused by a bacterium (germ) called mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB usually affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body, including the glands, the bones and, in rare cases, the brain.
What are the symptoms of TB?
Symptoms of TB can include fever and night sweats, a cough (generally lasting more than two weeks), weight loss and blood in the sputum at any time. A person with any of these symptoms should visit their family doctor for advice.
How is TB spread?
TB is usually spread in the air from another person who has TB of the lungs. It is spread by that person coughing, sneezing or spitting. People with TB in the lungs or throat can be infectious. This means that the bacteria can be spread to other people. Even then, close and prolonged contact with such a person (ie family, friends, childminder, co-worker) is needed to become infected. Most cases of infectious TB stop being infectious after about two weeks of treatment. TB in other parts of the body such as the kidney or spine is usually not infectious.
People at risk:
The following people have a greater chance of becoming ill with TB, if exposed to it:
• Those in very close contact with infectious people
• Children
• Elderly people
• Diabetics
• People on steroids
• People on other drugs affecting the body's defence system
• People who are HIV positive
• People in overcrowded, poor housing
• People dependent on drugs or alcohol
• People with chronic poor health
What is the difference between latent tuberculosis infection and active tuberculosis disease?
Infection with the TB bacterium may not develop into TB disease. Most people who are exposed to TB are able to overcome the bacteria. The bacteria become inactive, but they remain dormant 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 but can develop TB disease later in life. Most people who have latent TB infection never develop active TB disease.
Can TB be treated?
Yes, TB is potentially completely curable, if the responsible organism is fully sensitive to the antibiotics being used and the patient takes his or her medication as prescribed. It is treated with tablets, which must be taken for about six months. It is essential to take the treatment regularly and to complete the course as prescribed as it will stop you being infectious and it will prevent the risk of you developing drug-resistant TB. It is important to remember that TB used to kill people before modern treatments.
- Source: The Health Protection Surveillance Centre.