Take Steps to ControlTB

TUBERCULOSIS

When You HaveHIV
What’s Inside:

People with HIV are also at risk for getting 

TB. Read this brochure today to learn about 

TB and HIV. 

4 About TB infection

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5 About TB disease

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6 Get your questions answered

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7 Take these steps

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8 Taking medicine can save 

PAGE your life
“I got a skin test for TB 

at the clinic. My TB skin 

test was positive. Other 

tests showed that I had 

TB disease. I started on 

the TB pills as the doctor 

suggested. Because I have 

HIV, I was pretty upset 

when I found out I had TB 

too. I just didn’t want to 

take any more pills. But—I 

also wanted to be healthy, 

so I took the pills. It was 

not easy, but I managed to 

get through. After months 

of treatment, the TB germs 

were gone.”

Take steps to control TB.

“When you have HIV infection your system is weak, 

so, you catch things pretty easily. It is hard enough 

dealing with HIV. When the doctor at the clinic told 

me I had TB disease I said, just tell me what I need to 

do and I’ll do it.”

3
TB is spread through the air.

TB stands for tuberculosis, a disease caused by tiny 

germs that are put into the air when a person with 

untreated TB disease coughs, laughs, sneezes, or sings. 

Anyone nearby can breathe in these TB germs and get 

TB infection. TB usually affects the lungs, but it sometimes affects other parts of the body. If left untreated, 

TB infection can turn into TB disease and make you 

very sick.

If you have TB infection and 

HIV infection:

• You have only dormant (sleeping) TB germs in your 

body. 

• As long as the TB germs are dormant (sleeping), they 

will not make you sick and you cannot pass these 

germs to anyone else.

• HIV infection weakens your body’s defenses. Without treatment for TB infection, you are very likely to 

develop TB disease.

4
If you have TB disease and 

HIV infection:

If you have HIV and TB infection, you are very likely 

to get TB disease. A person with TB disease must get 

treatment right away to keep from getting sicker and 

continuing to pass TB germs to others.

If you have TB disease, it means you:

• Have active TB germs in your body.

• Are sick and you may have symptoms, such as a 

cough (sometimes with blood or chest pain), fever, 

weight loss, tiredness, and night sweats. 

• May be able to pass TB germs on to your family, 

friends, and others.

5

A chest x-ray may show if you have TB disease.
Get your questions answered.

Is TB really as serious as people say?

Yes it is, especially for people with HIV infection. 

TB infection and HIV infection can work together 

to make you very sick. When your immune system is 

weak, untreated TB infection can quickly turn into 

TB disease. Without treatment, TB disease can cause 

you to get very sick or even die. The good news is that 

TB is easily prevented, treated, and cured.

Do all people with HIV get TB disease?

No, but it does mean you have a greater chance of 

getting TB disease if you have both TB infection 

and HIV infection. For this reason, if you have HIV 

infection your doctor may also want to give you a TB 

skin test.

My TB skin test was negative. Now my 

doctor says I have to have more tests. 

Why?

When a person has HIV infection, the TB skin test 

may not react the way it should. Or it may be too soon 

for your body to react to the test. For these reasons, 

your doctor may want to give you a second skin test, 

as well as other tests, at a different time.

6
Take these steps:

1. Get a TB skin test at your local heath department.

Or, ask your doctor or healthcare provider for the 

TB skin test. This skin test is not a vaccine. 

The test lets your doctor know if you have ever had 

TB germs in your body.

2. Return to the office or clinic in 2 to 3 days (48 

hours to 72 hours) so your healthcare provider can 

read your TB skin test.

3. If you have TB infection or TB disease, you will 

need to take TB medicine as your healthcare provider says. 

The TB skin test will show if you have ever had any TB 

germs in your body. You may need other tests as well.

7
Taking TB medicine can save your life.

Unless treated, dormant (sleeping) TB germs can wake-up 

and make you sick with TB disease.

• This happens more easily if you have HIV infection, 

even if you feel strong and healthy. The TB medicine

is the only way to kill the TB germs in your body. 

• You need to take the pills the right way, as your doctor 

or healthcare provider tells you. If not, the treatment 

may be longer, more difficult, or not work at all. 

Staying on a medicine plan can be hard. You may already 

be taking medicines for HIV infection, and now you may 

need to take more pills. Talk with your doctor to make a 

plan that works for you. Ask your friends and family for 

support.

8
9
Follow these tips:

• Get tested for TB.

• Write the date of your last TB skin test here: 

 .

• If you need treatment, take all of the pills each day 

as directed by your doctor.

• Ask a family member and friend to remind you that 

it is important to take all of your medicines as directed. Write the name of the person you will ask to help 

you stay on your medicine plan here: 

 .

• If you think your TB medicine is making you sick, 

talk to your doctor before stopping any medicines.

Remember: When you treat TB, you are taking 

steps to protect your health and the health of others.

10
Notes
For more information on TB, call your 

local health department at

__________________________________________

or visit the CDC Division of 

Tuberculosis Elimination website at

http://www.cdc.gov/tb

To find out where you can get an HIV test or 

for more information on HIV or AIDS call

CDC-INFO

(Formerly known as the CDC National AIDS Hotline)

at

1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)

1-800-232-6348 TTY

In English, en Espanol 24 Hours/Day

CS222301

Produced 2005

Reprinted 2011

Developed in partnership with 

The New Jersey Medical School 

Global Tuberculosis Institute