I just found out that I got Latent Tuberculosis infecttoin? help!?

Question

Today My doctor told me that I was infected with latent turbeculosis and my question is can it be curable?

Oh and another question I told my girl and I'm afraid to kiss her, can I still kiss her? or would she get infected also?

Answer 1

Also called latent tuberculosis infection, latent TB or LTBI.

Latent tuberculosis is where a patient is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but does not have active tuberculosis disease. Patients with latent tuberculosis are not infectious, and it is not possible to get TB from someone with latent tuberculosis. The main risk is that approximately 10% of these patients will go on to develop active tuberculosis at a later stage of their life. The identification and treatment of people with latent TB is an important part of controlling this disease.

Answer 2

What is the difference between latent tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease?
Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) means the person has the TB germ in their body (usually lungs) but
has yet to develop obvious symptoms. In latent TB, the person has a significant reaction to the Mantoux
skin test with no symptoms of tuberculosis and no TB organisms found in the sputum. Tuberculosis
disease indicates the person has symptoms, a significant reaction to a Mantoux skin test and organisms
found in the sputum. In order to spread the TB germs, a person must have TB disease. Having latent
TB infection is not enough to spread the germ. Tuberculosis may last for a lifetime as an infection, never
developing into disease.
What are the symptoms of tuberculosis?
The symptoms of TB include a low-grade fever, night sweats, fatigue, weight loss and a persistent
cough.

Answer 3

Your doctor should have told you if there was anything you need to do, or should not do.
Latent TB infection is not contagious in itself, but has the potential to develop into active TB. But not everybody carries the same risk.
Latent TB can be treated with isonazid to prevent it developing into active TB, but this is not considered equally necessary in all cases. A relative of mine, who died at 92, lived in the same household with somebody who had TB for a while as a child. She always tested positive for TB after that, and she even had signs on her X-rays that showed "spots," but never developed any symptoms or active infection. The infection was probably eliminated early on, but she had the antibodies the rest of her life. The antibodies never go away.
If you have come from a country in which TB is fairly common within the last few years, or if you have another condition that weakens your resistance, you should probably get treatment; otherwise probably not. But you should consult a doctor rather than YA about this.
You can probably kiss your girl in the meantime; you just found out that your infection is not active at this time.

Answer 4

I am sure the MD explained to you about TB it is airborne and it is more common than you think. Example if someone coughs in an elevator it can live in the air for an hour so everyone who comes in contact with this area all will be exposed to the infection but it does not mean they will have active TB. When it is "Active" that is when it is able to be spread. Usually it is 6 months of treatment and from this point on get a chest x-ray every 1-2 years and do not take anymoreTB skin test (PPD)

Answer 5

Tuberculosis--The Return of a Killer :
- A Death Toll That Rivals War
- Triumph and Tragedy
- A Global Solution--Is It Possible?
- TB Fact Sheet
- TB and Fashion
- Is It Easy to Catch TB?
http://www.watchtower.org/e/19971222/article_01.htm

You can find more than the answers to your questions, by reading this series of online articles.

Answer 6

PLEASE read about the disease. Here it is from the Center for Disease Control (CDC):

http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/tb/faqs/qa_latenttbinf.htm