Tuberculosis (often called TB) is caused by a tiny organism known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.  It is spread from person to person through the air.  When individuals with TB cough, laugh, sneeze or talk, the germs can be spread into the air.  If another person breathes in these germs, there is a chance they will become infected by the TB germ.

Signs and Symptoms (Info excerpted from CDC)

The general symptoms of TB disease include feelings of sickness or weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. The symptoms of TB disease of the lungs also include coughing, chest pain, and the coughing up of blood. Symptoms of TB disease in other parts of the body depend on the area affected.

Diagnosis and Treatment

A skin test is a way to find out if a person has been exposed to TB.  There is more than one type of TB skin test; however, the preferred method is the Mantoux test.  For this test, a small amount of testing material is placed just below the top layers of skin, usually on the arm.  Two or three days later, a certified nurse examines the arm to see if a bump has developed.  If the bump is a certain size, the test is positive and the person has a TB infection.  A chest X-ray is done to determine how bad the infection is.

Due to limited resources, the Infectious Disease Center is no longer offering routine annual TB screening services to the public. Please click here for a list of public sites offering TB skin tests or annual chest X-rays.

Additional Information

• FAQ about TB
• Historical Information about TB
• Guidelines for Preventing Transmission of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Health-Care Settings, 2005
• Guidelines for Using the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Test for Detecting Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection, United States
• CDC TB Information
• WHO TB Information
• ISDH TB Information
• ALA TB Information

If you have a fever or a cough ask for a mask