Why tb comes

TB causes more deaths globally than any other infectious diseases. It is airborne and released when an infected patient coughs or sneezes, and can easily be caught by anyone who is in close proximity to the infected individual. The current immigration polices both in the U. Instead, large numbers of these individuals are living together, often in small or substandard housing which creates the perfect transmission conditions for TB and other similar diseases.

The Centers for Disease Control have guidelines in place requiring medical examinations for any refugees or immigrants coming into the United States, whether they are here on a temporary visa or permanently. Unfortunately, they can only perform these exams if the individuals are entering the country legally. Individuals who carry TB and other similar diseases but are not able to be examined are carrying a disease that was nearly eradicated in many countries into fresh breeding grounds.

This is more common when the immune system is weakened due to illness or the use of certain medications. When this happens, the bacteria can replicate and cause symptoms, resulting in active TB. People with active TB can spread the infection. The risk of developing active TB is higher in:. Here, learn more about pulmonary TB, which primarily affects the lungs. A person should see a doctor if they experience :. However, a blood test or skin prick test will indicate that they have TB infection.

Active TB : A person with TB disease may experience a cough that produces phlegm, fatigue, a fever, chills, and a loss of appetite and weight. Symptoms typically worsen over time, but they can also spontaneously go away and return. TB usually affects the lungs, though symptoms can develop in other parts of the body. This is more common in people with weakened immune systems.

A person with latent TB will have no symptoms, but the infection can show up on tests. People should ask for a TB test if they:. They will also perform a physical examination, which involves listening to the lungs and checking for swelling in the lymph nodes.

However, these cannot indicate whether TB is active or latent. To test for active TB disease, the doctor may recommend a sputum test and a chest X-ray. Find out how to read TB skin test results here. Treatment for latent TB can vary. It may involve taking an antibiotic once a week for 12 weeks or every day for 9 months.

Treatment for active TB may involve taking several drugs for 6—9 months. When a person has a drug resistant strain of TB, the treatment will be more complex. It is essential to complete the full course of treatment, even if symptoms go away. If a person stops taking their medication early, some bacteria can survive and become resistant to antibiotics.

In this case, the person may go on to develop drug resistant TB. Tuberculosis TB. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate.

How TB Spreads. Minus Related Pages. To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address. Although your body can harbor the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, your immune system usually can prevent you from becoming sick. For this reason, doctors make a distinction between:.

Tuberculosis can also affect other parts of your body, including the kidneys, spine or brain. When TB occurs outside your lungs, signs and symptoms vary according to the organs involved. For example, tuberculosis of the spine might cause back pain, and tuberculosis in your kidneys might cause blood in your urine. See your doctor if you have a fever, unexplained weight loss, drenching night sweats or a persistent cough.

These are often indications of TB but can also result from other conditions. Also, see your doctor if you think you've been exposed to TB. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people who have an increased risk of tuberculosis be screened for latent TB infection. This recommendation includes people who:. Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air. This can happen when someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs or sings.

Although tuberculosis is contagious, it's not easy to catch. You're much more likely to get tuberculosis from someone you live or work with than from a stranger.

Most people with active TB who've had appropriate drug treatment for at least two weeks are no longer contagious. HIV suppresses the immune system, making it difficult for the body to control TB bacteria.