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Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by a germ called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

It is spread through the air and usually infects the lungs.

TB can also affect other organs such as the brain, bone, and spine.

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In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 8,300 cases of active TB.

71.4% of all TB cases reported in the United States occurred among individuals who were not born in the United States.

One-third of the world's population—are thought to be infected with TB bacteria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

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To reduce likelihood of getting Tuberculosis

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To reduce likelihood of getting Tuberculosis

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Tuberculosis vaccines are available for infants and small children where TB is common. It is recommended for someone to receive this vaccine if traveling to a highly infected area.

Wear mask if a family member is known to infected at home. Maintain a clean environment.

If exposed to TB, get tested, and closely monitor your symptoms. Onset of illness may not occur until weeks to years after exposure.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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What to Do If You Have Been Exposed To TB

You may have been exposed to TB bacteria if you spent time near someone with TB disease. The TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with active TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. You cannot get TB from

Clothes

Drinking glass

Eating utensils

Handshake

Toilet

Other surfaces

If you think you have been exposed to someone with TB disease, you should contact your doctor or local health department about getting a TB skin test or a special TB blood test. Be sure to tell the doctor or nurse when you spent time with the person who has TB disease.

It is important to know that a person who is exposed to TB bacteria is not able to spread the bacteria to other people right away. Only persons with active TB disease can spread TB bacteria to others. Before you would be able to spread TB to others, you would have to breathe in TB bacteria and become infected. Then the active bacteria would have to multiply in your body and cause active TB disease. At this point, you could possibly spread TB bacteria to others. People with TB disease are most likely to spread the bacteria to people they spend time with every day, such as family members, friends, coworkers, or schoolmates.

Some people develop TB disease soon (within weeks) after becoming infected, before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may get sick years later, when their immune system becomes weak for another reason. Many people with TB infection never develop TB disease.

Learn about TB Prevention.

For Patients For Health Care Providers

Page last reviewed:

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Tuberculosis (TB)- What to Do If You Have Been Exposed To TB

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Information on what to do if you have been exposed to TB, and links for patients and health care providers. Provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016, November 22). Vaccines and preventable diseases. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016a, March 21). Exposure to tb. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/basics/exposed.htm

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The tuberculosis causing bacteria- Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 

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A method of TB testing, called the Mantoux tuberculin skin test. 