TUBERCULOSIS

TUBERCULOSIS FACTS – Exposure to TB

How was I exposed to TB?

You may have been exposed to TB if you spent time near someone with TB disease of the lungs or throat. You can only get infected by breathing in TB germs that person coughs into the air. You cannot get TB from someone’s clothes, drinking glass, handshake, or toilet.

How do I know if I have TB infection?

If you have been exposed to TB germs, you will be given a TB skin test. If it is “positive,” you probably have TB infection. If it is “negative,” you may be retested in a few weeks, just to be sure. If you do have TB infection, you may need medication.

A skin test is the only way to tell if you have TB infection. This test is usually done on the arm. A small needle is used to put some testing material, called tuberculin, under the skin. In two or three days, a health worker will check to see if there is a reaction to the test. The test is “positive” if a bump about the size of a pencil eraser or bigger appears on your arm. This bump means you probably have TB infection.