What happens if tuberculosis is not treated

Rifampicin can also interact with other medication, so it's important that your TB team know about all of the medicine you're taking before you start treatment for TB. If you're diagnosed with pulmonary TB, you'll be contagious up to about 2 to 3 weeks into your course of treatment.

You will not usually need to be isolated during this time, but it's important to take some basic precautions to stop TB spreading to your family and friends. When someone is diagnosed with TB, their treatment team will assess whether other people are at risk of infection. This may include close contacts, such as people living with the person who has TB, as well as casual contacts, such as work colleagues and social contacts.

Anyone who's thought to be at risk will be asked to go for testing, and will be given advice and any necessary treatment after their results. Page last reviewed: 12 November Next review due: 12 November Most people do not need to be admitted to hospital during treatment. Pulmonary TB You'll be prescribed at least a 6-month course of a combination of antibiotics if you're diagnosed with active pulmonary TB, where your lungs are affected and you have symptoms. The usual treatment is: 2 antibiotics isoniazid and rifampicin for 6 months 2 additional antibiotics pyrazinamide and ethambutol for the first 2 months of the 6-month treatment period It may be several weeks before you start to feel better.

After taking antibiotics for 2 weeks, most people are no longer infectious and feel better. Taking medication for 6 months is the best way to ensure the TB bacteria are killed. Treatment for latent TB generally involves: either taking a combination of rifampicin and isoniazid for 3 months or isoniazid on its own for 6 months Side effects of treatment Isoniazid can cause nerve damage peripheral neuropathy.

Contact your TB treatment team if you develop any worrying symptoms during treatment, such as: being sick yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes jaundice an unexplained high temperature tingling or numbness in your hands or feet a rash or itchy skin changes to your sight, such as blurred vision Rifampicin can reduce the effectiveness of some types of contraception, such as the combined contraceptive pill.

Preventing the spread of infection If you're diagnosed with pulmonary TB, you'll be contagious up to about 2 to 3 weeks into your course of treatment. You should: stay away from work, school or college until your TB treatment team advises you it's safe to return always cover your mouth — preferably with a disposable tissue — when coughing, sneezing or laughing carefully dispose of any used tissues in a sealed plastic bag open windows when possible to ensure a good supply of fresh air in the areas where you spend time not sleep in the same room as other people — you could cough or sneeze in your sleep without realising it What if someone I know has TB?

See diagnosing TB for more information. Corticosteroid medicines also may be given in some severe cases to reduce inflammation. They may be helpful for children at risk of central nervous system problems caused by TB and for people who have conditions such as high fever, TB throughout the body miliary TB , pericarditis , or peritonitis.

One antibiotic usually is used to treat latent TB infection, which cannot be spread to others but can develop into active TB disease. For this treatment, a health professional may watch you take each dose of antibiotics. Taking every dose of antibiotic helps prevent the TB bacteria from getting resistant to the antibiotics.

Multiple-drug therapy to treat TB usually involves taking four antibiotics at the same time. This is the standard treatment for active TB. If you miss doses of medicine or you stop treatment too soon, your treatment may go on longer or you may have to start over. This can also cause the infection to get worse, or it may lead to antibiotic-resistant infections that are much harder to treat.

Taking all of the medicines is especially important for people who have an impaired immune system. They may be at an increased risk for a relapse because the original TB infection was never cured. Surgery is rarely used to treat tuberculosis TB. But it may be used to treat extensively drug-resistant TB XDR-TB or to treat complications of an infection in the lungs or another part of the body.

Surgery has a high success rate, but it also has a risk of complications, which may include infections other than TB and shortness of breath after surgery. Surgery sometimes may be needed to remove or repair organs damaged by TB in parts of the body other than the lungs extrapulmonary TB or to prevent other rare complications, such as:. Current as of: September 23, Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: E. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Top of the page. Topic Overview What is tuberculosis? Tuberculosis is either latent or active. Latent TB means that you have the TB bacteria in your body, but your body's defences immune system are keeping it from turning into active TB.

This means that you don't have any symptoms of TB right now and can't spread the disease to others. If you have latent TB, it can become active TB. Active TB means that the TB bacteria are growing and causing symptoms. If your lungs are infected with active TB, it is easy to spread the disease to others. How is TB spread to others?

Who is most at risk for TB? This includes people who: Have HIV or another illness that weakens the immune system. Have close contact with someone who has active TB, such as living in the same house as someone who is infected with TB. Care for a patient who has active TB, such as doctors or nurses. Live or work in crowded places, such as prisons, nursing homes, or homeless shelters, where other people may have active TB.

Have poor access to health care, such as homeless people and migrant farm workers. Misuse of drugs or alcohol. What are the symptoms? Symptoms of active TB may include: A cough that brings up thick, cloudy, and sometimes bloody mucus from the lungs called sputum for more than 2 weeks. Tiredness and weight loss.

Night sweats and a fever. A rapid heartbeat. Swelling in the neck when lymph nodes in the neck are infected. Shortness of breath and chest pain in rare cases. How is TB diagnosed? How is it treated? Cause Tuberculosis TB is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis , slow-growing bacteria that thrive in areas of the body that are rich in blood and oxygen, such as the lungs.

Symptoms If you have latent tuberculosis TB , you do not have symptoms and cannot spread the disease to others. Symptoms of active TB in the lungs Symptoms of active TB in the lungs begin gradually and develop over a period of weeks or months. Common symptoms include: A cough with thick, cloudy, and sometimes bloody mucus from the lungs sputum for more than 2 weeks.

Fever, chills, and night sweats. Fatigue and weakness. Loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss. Shortness of breath and chest pain. Symptoms of active TB outside the lungs Symptoms of TB outside the lungs extrapulmonary TB vary widely depending on which area of the body is infected. What Happens Tuberculosis TB develops when Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria are inhaled into the lungs.

Without treatment, active TB can cause serious complications, such as: Pockets or cavities that form in the lungs. These damaged areas may cause bleeding in the lungs or may become infected with other bacteria and form pockets of pus abscesses. A hole that forms between nearby airways in the lungs. Difficulty breathing because of blocked airways.

TB can be fatal if it is not treated. Active TB outside the lungs Active TB in parts of the body other than the lungs extrapulmonary TB is not spread easily to other people. What Increases Your Risk People are at increased risk of infection with tuberculosis TB when they: Have close contact such as living in the same house with someone who has active TB, which can be spread to others.

Active TB is very contagious. Are health professionals who may care for people with untreated TB. Live or work in crowded conditions where they can come into contact with people who may have untreated active TB. This includes people who live or work in prisons, nursing homes, military barracks, or homeless shelters. Have poor access to health care, such as homeless people, migrant farm workers, or people who abuse alcohol or drugs.

People who have an infection that cannot spread to others latent TB infection are at risk of developing active TB if they: Have an impaired immune system. The immune system may be weakened in older adults, newborns, women who are pregnant or have recently given birth, and people who have HIV infection, some cancers, or poorly controlled diabetes. Take some types of medicines, such as long-term corticosteroids , biologics used to treat rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn's disease , or medicines to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ.

Have a chronic lung disease caused by breathing in tiny sand or silica particles silicosis or celiac disease. When should you call your doctor? Call your doctor immediately if you have: Symptoms such as a cough that may produce bloody mucus along with fever, fatigue, and weight loss that could be caused by tuberculosis TB.

Been in close contact with someone who has untreated active TB, which can be spread to others, or you have had lengthy close contact with someone you think has untreated active TB. Blurred vision or changes in how you see colours and are taking ethambutol for TB. Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes jaundice or you have abdominal pain and you are taking isoniazid or other medicines for TB.

Call your doctor if you: Have recently had a TB skin test and you have a red bump at the needle site. You need to have a reaction measured by a health professional within 2 to 3 days after the test. This measurement is important in deciding whether you need more tests or treatment.

Have been exposed to someone who has active TB. Who to see Your family doctor or general practitioner can help you find out if you have tuberculosis TB. For treatment of active TB, which can be spread to others, or to treat complications of TB, you may be referred to: Your local public health unit. A respirologist , a doctor who specializes in treating lung problems.

An infectious disease specialist. Examinations and Tests Diagnosing active TB in the lungs Doctors diagnose active tuberculosis TB in the lungs pulmonary TB by using a medical history and physical examination, and by checking your symptoms such as an ongoing cough, fatigue, fever, or night sweats. Doctors will also look at the results of a: Sputum culture. Testing mucus from the lungs sputum culture is the best way to diagnose active TB.

But a sputum culture can take 1 to 8 weeks to provide results. Sputum cytology. Chest X-ray. Symptoms of active TB, such as a persistent cough, fatigue, fever, or night sweats. An uncertain reaction to the tuberculin skin test because of a weakened immune system , or to a previous bacille Calmette-Guerin BCG vaccination.

Rapid sputum test. This test can provide results within 24 hours. Diagnosing latent TB in the lungs A tuberculin skin test will show if you have ever had a TB infection. See a picture of a tuberculin skin test. Rapid blood tests help detect latent TB. A rapid test requires only one visit to the doctor or clinic, instead of two visits as required for the tuberculin skin test. Rapid blood tests are also called interferon-gamma release assays IGRAs. Tests include: Biopsy. A sample of the affected area is taken out and sent to a lab to look for TB-causing bacteria.

Urine culture. This test looks for TB infection in the kidneys renal TB. Lumbar puncture. A sample of fluid around the spine is taken to look for a TB infection in the brain TB meningitis. CT scan. This test is used to diagnose TB that has spread throughout the body miliary TB and to detect lung cavities caused by TB. This test looks for TB in the brain or the spine. Tests during TB treatment During treatment, a sputum culture is done once a month—or more often—to make sure that the antibiotics are working.

These tests may include: Liver function tests. Eye tests, especially if you are taking ethambutol for TB treatment. Hearing tests, especially if you are taking streptomycin for TB treatment. Early detection Public health officials encourage screening for people who are at risk for getting TB. People diagnosed with TB disease should isolated from the public until they have been determined by a doctor to no longer be infectious.

This can occur within a few weeks of initiating therapy, however, infectious periods may vary. People with TB infection who have been cleared of a TB disease diagnosis can participate in all activities whether they are receiving treatment or not. As always, respiratory etiquette is recommended.

People with TB disease should be excluded from school, day care or the work place until the sputum is negative about weeks after the beginning of treatment. All household and close contacts of a person with active TB disease should be screened using the TB skin test or TB blood test for evidence of infection. All contacts with evidence of infection should be evaluated by a physician for disease. Routine screening of people who are at high-risk populations may help to diagnose TB infection.

By treating TB infection, people can prevent the chance of developing TB disease and reduce the risk of infecting other people. What is tuberculosis? What is the difference between tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease?

Who is at risk for tuberculosis? What are the symptoms of tuberculosis? People with TB infection do not feel sick and not not have any symptoms. How soon do symptoms appear after you are infected? How is tuberculosis spread? How long can someone spread tuberculosis? How is someone diagnosed with tuberculosis? What is the treatment for tuberculosis?

What would happen to a person if they don't take treatment for tuberculosis?