Tuberculosis FACT SHEETS

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What is TB?

CDC/ Dr. Ray Butler; Janice Carr

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease. It is caused by germs (bacteria) that are spread through the air. TB germs get into the air when someone with active, infectious TB diseasecoughs, sneezes, sings, plays a wind instrument or to a lesser extent, talks.

If you breathe in the TB germs, your body’s defence (immune) system may kill the TB germs. If your body’s defence system doesn’t kill the TB germs, they can remain alive but inactive in your body. If this happens, you have what is called latent TB infection. You will not feel sick and you cannot spread TB germs to others.

If you have latent TB infection and your body’s defence system becomes weak because you have some other illness, you may develop active TB disease. If you have active TB disease, you willfeel sick and may infect other people. TB germs usually attack the lungs but it can also affect other parts of your body, such as your lymph nodes.

Both latent TB infection and TB diseasecan be cured with antibiotic drugs.

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