Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases
Tuberculosis (TB)
Reportable to local or state health department
This fact sheet is for provider information only.
If you have questions, please call the health department.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection that usually affects the lungs, but can affect any part of the body. TB can be life-threatening, but it is curable with antibiotic medications.
Cause
Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria.
Symptoms
General symptoms of active TB disease may include feeling tired or sick, weight loss, fever, or night sweats. When active TB disease is in the lungs, there may be cough, chest pain, and possibly coughing up blood. Symptoms often develop gradually and worsen until treatment is started. If TB is elsewhere in the body, there may be other symptoms.
Spread
When someone with TB disease in their lungs coughs, sneezes, yells, or sings, tiny droplets with Mycobacterium tuberculosis are released into the air and another person breathes in these droplets. Most healthy people who become infected with TB bacteria develop latent TB infection and have no symptoms.
Incubation
The incubation period from infection to development of a positive Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) or Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) (blood test) result is 2 to 10 weeks. The risk of developing tuberculosis disease is highest during the 6 months after infection and remains high for 2 years; however, many years can elapse between initial tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease.
Contagious Period
Only active TB disease of the lungs or voice box (larynx) is contagious. The contagious period varies from person to person, but usually from when the symptoms begin until the person has completed several weeks of adequate treatment and had significant clinical response to therapy and had 3 consecutive negative sputum smear results. For MDR and XDR tuberculosis consult your state or local health department. TB disease in other parts of the body is usually not contagious. Young children, who lack capacity to cough forcefully, typically are not as contagious as adults.
Exclusion
A person with a newly positive tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) should see a healthcare provider as soon as possible after the positive test is detected for further evaluation and possible treatment. Consult with your local or state health department immediately. Each situation must be evaluated individually to determine whether the person is contagious and poses a risk to others. Latent tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease are reportable conditions in Missouri.
Diagnosis
Tuberculosis is diagnosed based on signs and symptoms, physical exam, TST/IGRA results, chest x-ray (if indicated), and laboratory exam of material obtained from cough specimens, other body fluids, or tissues.
Treatment
Active tuberculosis disease is treated with multiple antibiotic medications for a minimum of 6 months or as long as 2 years. Latent TB infection is usually treated with a single antibiotic medication for 9 months to prevent the development of active TB disease.
Prevention/Control
- Tuberculosis testing is not universally recommended for Missouri children, including those attending child care.
- Persons exposed to active, infectious TB disease should have a TST or IGRA performed. If the first TST is negative, another TST may be needed to determine if infection has developed.
For more information, call the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) Bureau of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention at 573-751-6113 or 800-392-0272 (24/7), or call your local health department.