What if a family member has TB?

What if a family member has TB?

What if my family member has TB? People with TB disease are most likely to spread the germs to people they spend time with every day, such as family members or coworkers. If you have been around someone who has TB disease, you should go to your doctor or your local health department for tests.

Should we stay away from TB patients?

“Active” means the TB germs are multiplying and spreading in your body. If you're in close contact with someone who has it, you can get it. That's why doctors advise those who have active TB disease to stay home and away from other people as much as possible, until they're no longer infectious.

How long can a person live with TB?

The duration of tuberculosis from onset to cure or death is approximately 3 years and appears to be similar for smear-positive and smear-negative tuberculosis.

Can TB patient stay with family?

While it is possible to catch TB from a family member, you should be aware that: only TB of the lungs or throat is infectious, so if someone has another type of TB you cannot catch it from them. TB is a bacterium, so it is not spread in the same way as a cold virus.

Can a mask protect you from TB?

infection control procedures to protect others from getting TB. Personal respirators should be worn by health care workers to prevent the inhalation of droplet nuclei. Surgical masks should be worn by infectious TB patients to prevent droplet nuclei from being expelled into the air.

Can you get TB from kissing?

You cannot get TB germs from: Saliva shared from kissing. TB is NOT spread through shaking someone's hand, sharing food, touching bed linens or toilet seats, or sharing toothbrushes.

Can tuberculosis be completely cured?

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs. Tuberculosis is curable and preventable. TB is spread from person to person through the air.

Is it possible to live a normal life with TB?

• While tuberculosis ( TB) is a highly contagious disease, it’s also very treatable. The best way to avoid complications from the disease is to take medications regularly and complete the full course as prescribed. In the United States, people with TB can live a normal life, both during and after treatment.

Can a person with TB get sick without being sick?

• TB bacteria can live in the body without making a person sick. This is called latent TB infection. People with latent TB infection do not feel sick, do not have TB symptoms, and cannot spread TB bacteria to others. Some people with latent TB infection go on to develop TB disease.

Can a person with TB spread the disease?

• It is important to know that a person who is exposed to TB bacteria is not able to spread the bacteria to other people right away. Only persons with active TB disease can spread TB bacteria to others.

Who is most at risk for getting TB?

• Babies, young children, and elderly people also have a much higher chance of getting TB disease if infected with TB germs. This is because their body defenses are not as strong. You cannot get TB germs from: Sharing drinking containers or eating utensils.