TB What You Need To Know 

About Tuberculosis Infection
2

Take steps to make sure TB infection does not 

turn into TB disease. Read this booklet to learn 

how you can take control of your health.

What’s Inside:
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What it means to have TB infection.................................... 4

When you should have a TB skin test 

or TB blood test......................................................................... 6

Treatment for TB infection......................................................8

Tips to stay on your medicine routine..............................11

Get your questions answered..............................................12

Contents
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I just found out I have TB infection. I was relieved 

to find out that TB infection means I have only 

dormant TB germs in my body. This means the 

TB germs are sleeping, so they are not making 

me sick, and I cannot pass them to anyone else. 

My doctor told me that sometimes the TB germs 

wake-up and multiply. This is called TB disease, 

and if I get it, I can become very sick and can pass 

TB germs to others. I don’t want that to happen, so 

I’m doing what my doctor told me, and starting on 

the TB medicine right away.

“

”

Eddie’s Story.

Eddie has TB infection. This means that:

• He has only dormant (sleeping) TB germs in his body, so the germs are 

not making him sick.

• He cannot pass these TB germs to others.

• Yet—if he doesn’t take medicine to kill the TB germs now, he can get sick 

with TB disease in the future. And if he gets TB disease, he can pass TB 

germs to others.

What it means to have TB infection
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How did I get TB infection?

• TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The TB germs 

are passed through the air when a person who is sick with TB disease 

coughs, laughs, sings, or sneezes.

• Like Eddie, if you breathe air that has TB germs, you may get TB 

infection.

• You will not know you have TB infection unless you have a TB skin test 

or TB blood test.

• If left untreated, TB infection can turn into TB disease.

TB germs are passed through the air when a 

person who is sick with TB disease coughs, laughs, 

sings, or sneezes.
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When you should have a TB skin test 

or TB blood test

You should have a TB skin test or TB blood test if:

• You have spent time with a person who has TB disease.

• You have HIV infection or another health problem, like diabetes, that 

makes it harder for your body to fight germs.

• You inject illegal drugs.

• Your doctor suggests you should be tested.

• Your workplace says you need to be tested.

• You are from a place where TB disease is more common. This includes 

most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, 

Eastern parts of Europe, and Russia.

• You spend a lot of time where TB is more common. This includes 

homeless shelters, drug treatment centers, health care clinics, nursing 

homes, jails, or prisons.
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Your healthcare provider said you have TB infection.

A person with TB infection will usually have a positive TB skin test or TB 

blood test. If your TB skin test or TB blood test is positive, your healthcare 

provider may also do a chest x-ray to look for signs of TB disease. If your x-ray 

did NOT show signs of TB disease, you will be diagnosed with TB infection.

Your healthcare provider may have also asked if you have HIV infection. 

That’s because having HIV infection and TB infection together can make 

you very sick. If you don’t know, ask your healthcare provider to give you 

an HIV test.
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Treatment for TB infection

Take your pills the right way, as your healthcare provider tells you.

At first, I could not understand why I had to be 

on the TB pills for 9 months. That seemed like a 

long time. And I didn’t even feel sick! But now I 

know that these TB germs are strong and they can 

take a long time to die. I made a plan to finish this 

medicine because I want to stay healthy for my 

family. I don’t want to take the chance of getting 

sick with TB disease someday.

“

”
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If you have TB infection, follow these good tips:

• Protect your health by taking medicine for TB infection.

• Take all your pills, even though you don’t feel sick.

• Stay on the medicine to kill TB germs so you won’t get TB disease.

Why should I take medicine if I don’t feel sick?

Even though the TB germs in your body are dormant (sleeping), they are very 

strong. Many germs are killed shortly after you start taking your medicine, 

but some stay alive in your body a long time. It takes longer for them to die. 

As long as you have TB germs in your body, they can wake-up, multiply, 

and make you sick with TB disease. The only way to get rid of TB germs is 

by taking TB medicines. You will need to stay on TB medicine for 3, 6, or 9 

months, depending on what your doctor thinks is best for you.

Talk to your healthcare provider if your medicine is making you feel sick.

Any medicine can cause side effects, including TB pills. Most people 

can take their TB medicine without any problems.
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Call your healthcare provider right away if you have:

• Dizziness when sitting, standing or lying down.

• Less appetite, or no appetite for food.

• Stomach upset, nausea, or vomiting.

• Pain in your lower chest or heartburn.

• Flu-like symptoms with or without fever.

• Severe tiredness or weakness.

• Fevers or chills.

• Severe diarrhea or light colored stools (poop).

• Brown, tea-colored, or cola-colored urine.

• Skin or whites of your eyes appear yellow.

• Skin rash or itching.

• Bruises, or red and purple spots on your skin that you cannot explain.

• Nosebleeds, or bleeding from your gums or around your teeth.

• Shortness of breath.

• Pain or tingling in your hands, arms and legs.

NOTE: People react differently to medicines. If you think you are having any 

reaction to your treatment, call the doctor right away.
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Tips to stay on your medicine routine.

Try these tips to help you remember to take your TB medicine.

Check off the tips you will try:

o Take your medicine at the same time every day.

o Use a pillbox and put a week’s worth of pills in the box.

o Keep your medicine in one place, where you can’t miss it.

o Write yourself a note. Put it on your bathroom mirror or on your 

refrigerator.

o Wear a watch to keep track of time. Set your watch alarm for the time 

you need to take your pills.

o Ask a family member or friend to help you remember.

o Use a calendar to check off the days you have taken your medicine.

Your healthcare provider will make sure the medicine is 

working for you.

While on your TB medicine, you may see your healthcare provider at least 

one time a month. If you have other health problems, like HIV infection or 

hepatitis, you may need to see your healthcare provider more often.

You may also need to have some blood tests along the way to make sure your 

body is handling the medicine well.
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Get your questions answered

Your questions answered here!

Here are answers to common questions from people who have 

TB infection.

Once I complete treatment for TB infection, does that mean I will 

not get TB disease?

The medicine does not work for everyone, but it works really well for most 

people. Most people who complete treatment for TB infection will not get 

TB disease.

After I finish treatment for TB infection, can I get TB infection again?

Yes. The treatment you receive for TB infection only treats the TB germs in 

your body now. There is the possibility that you can be around someone else 

with TB disease and get new TB germs. Yet—most healthy people won’t ever 

need to be treated again. 
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I’ve heard that once I have a positive TB skin test or TB blood test, I 

will always have a positive TB skin test or TB blood test, even after I 

complete the treatment. Is this true?

Yes, this is true. Even after you finish taking all of your TB medicine, your TB 

skin test or TB blood test will still be positive. Ask your healthcare provider 

to give you a written record that says your test was positive and that you 

finished treatment. This will be helpful in case you are asked to have another 

TB skin test or TB blood test in the future.

What is the best way to explain my TB infection to my family, 

friends, classmates, or co-workers?

There is no right way or wrong way. Below are some suggestions, but do what 

feels right for you.

• Explain that people with TB infection cannot spread TB germs. In other 

words, no one can get TB germs from you.

• Explain that you are taking medicine to make sure you don’t get TB 

disease.

• Share this booklet and information you have learned about TB infection 

with your friends, family, and others.

• Ask your healthcare provider any questions that you, your family, 

friends, classmates, or co-workers may have.

Get the facts on the BCG vaccine:

Some people from countries other than the United States have had 

the BCG vaccine for TB. The BCG vaccine will not always protect you 

from TB. Even if you had the BCG vaccine, you can still go on to get 

TB. If you have a positive TB skin test, your healthcare provider will 

decide if you need treatment for TB.
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I always thought that my BCG vaccine would 

cause my TB skin test to be positive. My healthcare 

provider said that some people who have had a BCG 

vaccine have positive TB skin tests and some have 

negative TB skin tests. I learned that a positive test 

often means a person has TB infection.

“

”

Remember—TB can be prevented, treated, and cured.

All of this information is a lot to take in at once. Take each day—one day at a 

time as you work toward treating your TB infection.

Follow your plan to take TB medicine so you don’t go on to get TB disease. 

Stay healthy for yourself, your friends, and your family!
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Notes
CS252981-D

For more information on TB, call your

local heath department at

Developed in partnership with the Global Tuberculosis Institute at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Produced 2008 | Reprinted 2015

or visit the CDC Division of 

Tuberculosis Elimination website at 

http://www.cdc.gov/tb