Preventive Medicine Department >
Army Public Health Nursing
Epidemiology & Disease Control
Tuberculosis (TB) Information
What is TB?
“TB” is short for a bacteria (a mycobacterium) called tuberculosis.
TB bacteria are passed through the air when someone who is sick with
Active TB (Disease) of the lungs or throat coughs,
speaks, laughs, sings, or sneezes. Anyone near the sick person can
breathe TB bacteria into their lungs.
How could I have been exposed to TB?
You may have been exposed to TB if you spent time near someone with
Active TB of the lungs or throat. There was a patient
hospitalized at Evans during May that had Active TB. If you
cared for the patient, you may have been exposed (you will be
contacted by Preventive Medicine or Infection Control if you are
considered to be at high risk). People that are deployed or that
travel overseas are also frequently exposed.
If I was exposed to TB how likely is it that I am infected?
TB is not a highly infectious organism. The majority (over 70%) of
people that have prolonged, close contact with people with Active TB
(Disease) do not become infected. The only way to know
for sure if you are infected is to test with a Tuberculin Skin Test
(TST or PPD) or a Quantiferon blood test.
What happens if I am infected?
For approximately 90% of people that are infected, the body’s immune
system suppresses the infection and the TB germ lives in their body
for the rest of their life without ever making them sick. This is
called latent TB infection. The inactive germs cannot be
passed on to anyone else. For the other 10% of personnel infected
the germ overcomes the immune system, and causes the person to
become sick. This is called Active TB or TB Disease. People
with Active TB may spread the germs to people they spend time
with every day. People that take drugs or have medical conditions
that suppress the immune system are more likely to develop Active
What happens if I have a positive test?
If you have a positive test it is likely that you are infected. You
will be asked to have a chest radiograph (X-ray) taken and will be
interviewed by Preventive Medicine/Infection Control staff to screen
for Active TB (disease). For people that do not have active TB, you
will be offered a course of antibiotics that reduces the risk of
developing active disease by over 90% - the current course of
antibiotics is a 9 month course of Isoniazid (INH). You will be
instructed to notify your healthcare provider if you ever develop
symptoms of active TB.
What are the symptoms of TB Disease?
Cough that lasts over 3 weeks, coughing up blood-tinged phlegm
(sputum), drenching sweats at night, unexplained fevers and chills,
and weight loss are all symptoms of TB disease. However, these
symptoms are found with many other medical conditions. If you
develop symptoms let your medical provider know.
What happens if I develop TB disease?
TB disease is treatable with antibiotics. If you develop TB disease
you have the potential to infect other people so you would be placed
in isolation (either at home or a hospital) until you have taken the
antibiotics long enough to not be infectious (several weeks).
Typically the full treatment for active TB consists of 4 antibiotics
for several weeks, followed by 2 antibiotics for a number of months.
If you have further questions or concerns, please contact the MEDDAC
Preventive Medicine Department at (719 526-7353 or the Infection
Control Consultant at (719) 526-7821.
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