Testing for TB
What is TB?
TB is short for a disease called tuberculosis. TB is spread through the air
from one person to another. TB germs are passed through the air when
someone who is sick with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, speaks,
laughs, sings, or sneezes. Anyone near the sick person can breathe TB
germs into their lungs.
TB germs can live in your body without making you sick. This is called latent TB infection. This means you have only inactive (sleeping) TB germs in your body. The inactive germs cannot be passed on to anyone else. However, if these germs wake up or become active in your body and multiply, you will get sick with TB disease.
When TB germs are active (multiplying in your body), this is called TB disease. These germs usually attack the lungs. They can also attack other parts of the body, such as the kidneys, brain or spine. TB disease will make you sick. People with TB disease may spread the germs to people they spend time with every day.
How do I know if I have been
infected with TB?
If you have been around someone who has TB disease, you should go to your
doctor or your local health department for tests.
There are two main tests that can be used to help detect TB. A skin test (Mantoux test) is usually done on the arm. A small needle is used to put some testing material, called tuberculin, under the skin. In 2-3 days, you return to the doctor who will check your arm to see if there is a reaction to the test. In some cases, another test called T-SPOT.TB is given. It is a blood test that measures how a person’s system reacts to the germs that cause TB. It is especially useful if you received the BCG vaccine in the past ot if there is reason to suspect that a positive skin test is caused by other bacteria than TB. The Washington Travel Clinic is one of few places that offer this test. Click here to learn more about T-SPOT.TB.