|
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tuberculosis Facts
The TB Skin TestWhat is TB? "TB" is short for a disease called tuberculosis. TB is spread by tiny germs that can float in the air. The TB germs may spray into the air if a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, shouts, or sneezes. Anyone nearby can breathe TB germs into the lungs. TB germs can live in your body without making you sick. This is called TB infection. Your immune system traps TB germs with special germ fighters. Your germ fighters keep TB germs from making you sick. But sometimes, the TB germs can break away and spread. Then they cause TB disease. The germs can attack the lungs or other parts of the body. They can go to the kidneys, the brain, or the spine. If anyone has TB disease, they need medical help. If they don’t get help, they can die.
How do I know if I have TB infection? 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. You may need medicine to keep from getting sick. Note: If you have ever had a "positive" reaction to a TB skin test or if you have been treated with TB drugs in the past, tell the health worker. |
|||
|
You will need Adobe Acrobat™ Reader v3.0 or higher to read pages that are in PDF format. Download the Adobe Acrobat™ Reader. If you have difficulty accessing any material on the DTBE Web site because of a disability, please contact us in writing or via telephone and we will work with you to make the information available. Division of Tuberculosis
Elimination
|