To prevent tuberculosis (TB), take precautions when spending time around people with TB. Treating a latent TB infection will prevent you from getting sick and spreading the disease to others.
Although tuberculosis (TB) is rare in the United States, it remains quite common in other parts of the world. Untreated, tuberculosis can be fatal. But there are ways to prevent it and stop it from spreading. The key to preventing tuberculosis, the active form of the infection, is to treat latent tuberculosis.
If you plan to travel, especially if you plan to work in healthcare or in high-risk populations, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from tuberculosis.
This article will explore tuberculosis, how it spreads, its risk factors, and how to prevent it. He will also discuss vaccines and strategies to help you prevent infection.
Tuberculosis is an airborne disease, meaning it spreads like the flu and the common cold. When a person with active TB coughs, sneezes, or talks, they release droplets containing TB bacteria into the air, which can be inhaled by people nearby.
When you inhale TB bacteria, they can settle in your lungs and start to grow. But most people exposed to TB bacteria do not develop an infection. Your immune system often fights bacteria before it takes root.
Most people who get a TB infection develop latent TB. In people with latent TB infection, the bacteria often lies dormant for years without causing symptoms. People with latent TB do not get sick and cannot pass the infection to others.
TB is more likely to spread among people who spend a lot of time together, especially in poorly ventilated environments. You may be at increased risk if a family member or co-worker has active TB.
The first step in preventing TB is to identify and treat latent TB infection. Latent tuberculosis infection
Without treatment, latent tuberculosis infections can progress to active tuberculosis.
But not everyone with latent TB infection will develop TB. Many people live their entire lives with TB bacteria in their bodies without ever developing TB. This is more likely in people who have healthy immune systems that prevent the bacteria from growing.
If your immune system is weakened, you may develop tuberculosis years after you were first infected.
The best way to prevent this is to receive diagnosis and treatment for latent TB infection as soon as possible.
To diagnose latent TB infection, a doctor or other healthcare professional may order a skin test or blood test. If the test results are positive for tuberculosis, a doctor will recommend prompt treatment.
Tuberculosis and HIV
People living with illnesses that weaken their immune systems, such as HIV, are
In some countries, doctors sometimes recommend preventive treatment for tuberculosis for people living with HIV.
According to
Certain factors can increase the risk that a latent TB infection will turn into active TB.
- having a weakened immune system due to cancer, HIV, or other conditions
- living in overcrowded conditions
- traveling to countries with high rates of tuberculosis
- close and frequent contact with a person with active tuberculosis
- work in health care settings that serve high-risk populations
There is only one vaccine used to prevent tuberculosis. This is called the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine. It contains a live, weakened form of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis.
In many countries, BCG is part of the standard vaccination program for newborns. But it is rarely used in the United States.
The BCG vaccine provides partial protection against severe forms of tuberculosis in infants and young children. But this
People with weakened immune systems cannot take the BCG vaccine.
Recently, several advances have been made in the development and research of a tuberculosis vaccine. For example, new experimental vaccines such as M72/AS01E have shown promise in clinical trials and may provide better protection than BCG. But more research is needed.
Here are some tips to prevent TB infection:
- Avoid close contact with people with active tuberculosis.
- Wash your hands often and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
- Eat a nutritious diet and exercise regularly to keep your immune system strong.
- If you work in a healthcare setting overseas, follow protocols for wearing protective equipment such as masks and gowns.
- If you have latent TB infection, follow the entire treatment protocol.
- If you are traveling to a high-risk area and your immune system is compromised, talk to a doctor about preventative treatments.
TB prevention measures include avoiding close contact with people with active TB and treating latent TB infections.
TB is spread through the air when an infected person talks, coughs, or speaks. Most people exposed to TB bacteria never develop TB. People with weakened immune systems, such as those living with HIV, are at higher risk of developing tuberculosis.
