Expand All | Collapse All

• Latent TB Infection

  Most people who breathe in TB germs do not get sick. The germs can stay in a person's body, but their healthy immune system can prevent the them from spreading.

  Symptoms
  People with latent TB infection do not show any symptoms.

  Medication
  If you have latent TB infection, your health care provider or doctor will tell you if you should take medicine to avoid active TB.

   

Expand All | Collapse All

• Active TB Disease

  When a person's body can not fight TB germs, they become sick. As a result, the person has active TB disease.
  

  A person may have symptoms with active TB disease. They can spread TB germs to others.

  Symptoms
  People with active TB may show the following symptoms.

  • Coughing for more than 3 weeks
  • Weight loss
  • Heavy sweating at night
  • Fever
  • Feeling tired all the time (fatigue)
  • Chills
  • Loss of appetite

  Medication
  People with active TB disease must take medicine to kill the TB germs to protect others and to protect their lungs and other parts of the body. 

   

Expand All | Collapse All

• 1. Have you previously tested positive for TB?

  A positive test could mean you have the TB germ in your body. It would be good to talk to your doctor about your TB status.

• 2. Were you born outside of the US, Canada, Australia, Western, or Northern Europe?

  If you were born in a country where TB is common, you have a higher risk of exposure. It would be good to talk to your doctor about your TB risk.

• 3. Do you have HIV/AIDS, cancer, a transplant, an immune compromising condition, or take immune suppressing medications?

  People with weak immune systems have a much higher risk of developing TB disease than people with normal immune systems.

• 4. Have you lived with or spent time with anyone who had or may have had TB?

  TB is airborne. When a person with active TB coughs, speaks, sings, or sneezes, germs spread through the air. People who breathe in the germs can get TB.

• 5. Have you lived in or visited any of the following areas for more than one month (30 days): Asia, Mexico, Central or South America, Africa, the Caribbean or Eastern Europe?

  Some countries have more TB than others. If you have lived or traveled for more than 30 days (1 month) in a country with where TB is more common, you have a higher risk of exposure.

• 6. Do you cross the US-Mexico border frequently?

  As with traveling to countries for a long period of time, traveling back and forth to a country with a higher rate of TB increases your risk of exposure.

• 7. Do you eat unpasteurized queso fresco or other unpasteurized dairy products from Mexico?

  Cows in Mexico could have a form of TB and pass it through their milk. Therefore, unpasteurized dairy products from Mexico, including queso fresco, could contain TB. There is a risk for people to get TB if they eat or drink these products.

  TB and Queso Fresco

  English

  Spanish

   

• 8. Do you have a history of homelessness, incarceration, or drug abuse (or been in close contact with someone with this history)?

  TB occurs more often among people who experience homelessness, incarceration, and drug abuse. The risk of TB exposure is higher among people affected by these challenges.