TB
Active TB
Pictures & Pages / Related Info
Active TB Pathway (Red book pg. 1)
Contact to Latent to Active TB (Red book pg. 7)
Screening for Latent & Active TB (Red book pg. 17)
What is it?
 | The TB Germs are in the body and hurting the body in some way. When the TB bacteria are in the lungs or the neck, they can spread into the air. TB can be a sneaky disease! For some people, they can have Active TB for weeks or months before they even start to feel sick. This is one of the reasons why we do screening for Active TB (with X-ray and spit tests) in some people who don’t feel sick at all. |
Common Symptoms
Cough that is new or different from someone’s ‘usual cough’
Coughing up blood
Losing weight (not on purpose)
Not feeling hungry
Fever
Night sweats (does the person wake up with wet blankets)
Weakness or fatigue
Chest pains when breathing
Some people have NO or very MILD symptoms (this is part of what makes TB tricky and why screening can be so important).
Spread
Before starting treatment Active TB is contagious. This means the TB germ can spread to family, friends, and in the community.
This is why a person is put in ‘isolation’. Isolation can happen at home (with no visitors indoors and no visiting in public places) or at the hospital depending on the person’s situation.
The isolation is over when the person is not contagious anymore.
After the isolation is over, there is no need to be afraid of catching TB from someone who has Active TB. The person should be encouraged and welcomed for helping the community by taking treatment!
More information on Isolation here
If the Active TB is outside the lungs (extrapulmonary TB) then it may not be contagious.
Meeting with someone in isolation? The PHO should wear an N95 mask and the person should wear a medical mask. See Mask
Diagnosis (testing for Active TB)
The most important tests for Active TB are the spit tests and chest X-rays.
Antibiotics & Isolation
Treatment is important for the health of the person who has Active TB.
If Active TB is not treated, it can cause permanent damage to the body. In the worst cases, this can be deadly.
To protect the body, the most important thing is to take the treatment.
Treatment is also important for the health of the people around the person who has Active TB.
Treatment of Active TB is MANDATORY. But the TB Team is here to do as much as possible to make taking treatment easier.
Isolation is MANDATORY for the first few weeks of treatment for most patients. Isolation can be at home or in the hospital.
Often babies and young children don’t need to isolate. This is because the lungs of babies and young children aren’t strong enough to spread the TB germ.
Active TB | ||
|---|---|---|
The TB Germ is in the Body | ✓ | |
Is The Skin Test "Positive" | ✓ or X | *TB is sneaky so sometimes no* |
Symptoms | ✓ or X | *TB is sneaky so sometimes no* |
Contagious | ✓ | A person can be more or less contagious depending on their situation. |
Treatment | MANDATORY | Treatment is safe and effective and lasts for several months. |
Isolation | often MANDATORY | A few very specific situations where isolation might not be needed. |
Example conversation with someone (adult) who has just been told they have Active TB:
Reassure
You may have heard some rumours about Active TB and it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous.
For sure TB can be a serious disease but we can get rid of the TB germs in the body with antibiotics that you can get here in Nunavik. The nurses, doctors, and I are going to do everything we can to make this whole thing easier for you - that’s part of our job.
Antibiotics
The antibiotics are very safe and effective. It is a long treatment but once you have taken all your pills, you will be TB-free.
Treatment for Active TB is required because if you aren’t treated for TB you can get very sick.
Spread
In Active TB, the TB germ can be spread through the air when you breathe. This is one reason why isolation is needed for the first few weeks of treatment - to protect your loved ones and the community from getting TB.
The good news is once you’re taking treatment and the antibiotics start fighting the TB germ, you won’t be contagious for long. Once you’re out of isolation, you don’t need to worry about spreading TB to friends or family and you can go back to work and other activities you like.