Overall, 5-10 percent of all people with latent tuberculosis will go on to develop active disease. The risk of reactivation is greatest in those with recent TB infection and in people with conditions which weaken the immune system. The following groups are considered to be at high risk: Young children. (Infants have a 40% chance of progressing to active disease, and children are more likely to develop life-threatening forms of TB).

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. TB is spread through the air from one person to another. A person with active TB is contagious and symptoms may include coughing, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, fever, chills, no appetite and fatigue.

Latent TB is when the body’s immune system forms a wall around the TB bacteria so the TB bacteria cannot multiply or spread. The TB germs are essentially “asleep” in your body when you have latent TB. A person with latent TB is not contagious (cannot spread TB to other people) and has no symptoms. TB bacteria can stay latent for long periods of time (e.g. from many years to the rest of your life). Active TB is when the body cannot adequately fight the TB bacteria.

children going through a rapid growth spurt, during which the iron available cannot keep up with the demands for a growing red cell mass women in childbearing years who have an excessive need for iron because of blood loss during menstruation People with ongoing gastrointestinal blood loss are at risk of developing iron deficiency, as are individuals with leukemia or cancer who must receive chemotherapy or radiation to treat their disease.

If you have a regular health care provider, you should see them first. If you don’t have a health care provider, you can receive TB Treatment from the Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System TB Clinic. For more information about the TB Clinic see the Related Link below.

Residents and employees of prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, homeless shelters Persons with clinical conditions that place them at a higher risk, including those with diabetes and chronic renal failure

The presence of TB bacteria in the body can lead to active disease (tuberculosis) if an infected person's immune system can't stop the bacteria from multiplying. Some people develop active TB disease soon after becoming infected, before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people that carry the bacteria may become sick later in life. Symptoms of active TB disease depend on where in the body the TB bacteria are growing.

People with latent TB infection test positive on their skin test for TB but they are not sick and they can not spread the disease to anyone else.

Many people who have TB infection never develop TB disease. But some people who have TB infection are more likely to develop TB disease than others. These people are at high risk for TB disease.

Active TB can almost always be cured with medicine, but the medicine must be taken as directed or you risk the bacteria becoming resistant to the medicine. Several medications are used at the same time because there are so many TB bacteria to be killed. TB bacteria die very slowly. It takes at least 6 months for the medicine to kill all of the TB bacteria. You will probably start feeling better after only a few weeks of treatment.

Please see the TB Internet Resource List for detailed information regarding testing, treatment, and active TB disease. Testing must be done in the USA. Test results from outside the United States will not be accepted. If you are tested in the United States prior to arriving at Kansas State University, bring the test results to Lafene Health Center as soon as you arrive at K-State. Yes, most health insurance will cover costs according to the coverage outlined in the policy.

The child or adult is at highest risk for neurological and organ damage during and for the two weeks following an illness. Therefore even a simple flu or cold virus can have devastating effects on the patient, even death. Any illness must be treated immediately with medical interventions, like IV fluids and IV antibiotics.

Latent TB infection means that a person has breathed in TB bacteria, or germs, and become infected with TB, but their body has been able to fight the infection and keep it from becoming active and making them sick. People with latent TB infection are not contagious and can not give TB to others.

Latent TB infection results when the TB bacteria live in your body without making you sick. The bacteria lie inactive because the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from growing. These people have no symptoms and can’t spread the disease to others. TB disease can result if the bacteria become active when the immune system can’t stop them from growing.

If you have active TB disease of the lungs or throat, you are probably infectious. You will need to stay home from work or school so you don’t spread TB bacteria to other people. When people are in your home, you will need to wear a mask over your mouth and nose to prevent spreading the disease. After taking the medicine for a few weeks, you will feel better and may no longer be infectious to others.

TB treatment is available here in Manhattan. The Riley County Health Department and your Lafene Health care provider would monitor your care according to guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control.

Yes, some people have lower resistance to disease and are more likely to develop Legionnaires' disease. Some of the factors that can increase the risk of getting the disease include:

People who live or work in places where TB is more common, such as homeless shelters, migrant labor camps, prisons, jails, hospitals, and some nursing homes. Patients with HIV, silicosis, malnutrition, renal failure, or other conditions placing them at higher risk for active TB.

In most people who breathe in TB bacteria and become infected, the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from growing. The bacteria become inactive, but they remain alive in the body and can become active later. This is called latent TB infection. Many people who have latent TB infection never develop active TB disease. In these people, the TB bacteria remain inactive for a lifetime without causing disease.

People in close contact with infected poultry or infected material from poultry are most at risk. This would include poultry farm workers, Veterinarians and others Involved in disease control.

In most people who breathe in TB bacteria and become infected, the person's body is able to fight the infection and keep them from growing. The TB bacteria become dormant, and this is called latent TB infection. People with latent TB infection: Many people who have latent TB infection never develop active TB disease. In these people, the TB bacteria remain in the body for a lifetime without causing disease.

In most people who breathe in TB bacteria and become infected, the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from growing. The bacteria become inactive, but they remain alive in the body and can become active later. This is called TB infection. Most people who have TB infection will never develop TB disease. In these people, the TB bacteria remain inactive for a lifetime without causing disease.

People with TB infection (without disease) have the germ that causes TB in their body. They may have been carrying this germ for a short or a very long time, but they are not sick because the germ lies inactive in the body. The body's strong immune system has the germs under control. While the TB germs are inactive in your body, they cannot hurt you and you cannot spread them to other people. In fact, if you are infected by the TB germs, you probably will not know it and you will not feel sick.

When a person breathes the TB germ into their lungs, the body's defences (antibodies) usually destroy the TB germs or wall off the germs so no damage is done. People may not even know they have been infected. A skin test is able to detect TB anti-bodies. It shows whether someone has been exposed to the TB germ. People who have had sufficient contact with the TB germ will have a positive skin test 2-12 weeks after initial exposure. This is known as TB infection. TB infection is not contagious.

TB bacteria become active if the immune system can't stop them from growing. The active bacteria begin to multiply in the body and cause TB disease. Some people develop TB disease soon after becoming infected, before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may get sick later, when their immune system becomes weak for some reason. Babies and young children often have weak immune systems. People infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, have very weak immune systems.