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The Facts on Tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Q: What is tuberculosis?

A: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that attack the lungs, causing patches to form there and in later stages on bones and joints. If untreated, it can be fatal.

Q: How can the germ be detected?

A: A TB skin test can indicate whether a person has been infected, but a positive result doesn’t mean that the person has the disease. Other tests, such as an X-ray or sputum sample, determine whether the person has active, or contagious, TB.

Q: How common is it?

A: Public health officials estimate that TB kills one person every 10 seconds worldwide and that three million people now infected will die from the disease each year. California has the highest number of active TB cases, but they declined from 4,059 in 1997 to 3,855 in 1998; more than two-thirds were reported in foreign-born people. About 3.4 million residents, or 1 in 10 people, in the state carries the TB germ.

Q: What are some symptoms of TB?

A: Coughing, weight loss and fever are symptoms of contagious TB disease. People without symptoms may still carry the germs, but they are inactive. Such people cannot spread the germs to others, though they may develop TB disease in the future.

Q: How is TB treated?

A: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends four initial drugs: isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol or streptomycin. Usually, pills must be taken every day for at least six months. Not taking medicine regularly can make the bacteria resistant, meaning that other medicines and combinations must be used.

Q. How much does TB cost to treat?

A: The cost, including hospitalization, for treating an individual with drug-susceptible TB is estimated at $24,000, compared with $103,000 for multidrug resistant TB. In most cases, public health programs pay for those who cannot afford it.

Q: How can TB be kept from spreading?

A: The medicine will usually stop the germs from spreading within a few weeks, during which time patients may have to restrict contact with others. They should always cover their mouth when they cough. When patients are not infectious, they can be near anyone and can continue regular activities.

Sources: California Dept. of Health, CDC, AsianWeek research.