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TB
TB Alert
Alert
Community
Community Base
Base
113
113 Queens
Queens Road
Road
Brighton,
Brighton, BN1
BN1 3XG
3XG
BCG
BCG is
is not
not aa routine
routine travel
travel vaccine.
vaccine. IfIf you
you would
would like
like the
the BCG
BCG
for
travel
purposes,
you
will
probably
have
to
pay
to
have
for travel purposes, you will probably have to pay to have itit
done
done privately.
privately.
Tel:
Tel: 01273
01273 234029
234029
www.tbalert.org
www.tbalert.org
How
How common
common is
is TB?
TB?
IfIf you
you have
have an
an enquiry
enquiry about
about TB,
TB, or
or would
would like
like to
to find
find out
out
more
more about
about the
the TB
TB Action
Action Group
Group (TBAG)
(TBAG) –– aa patient
patient support
support
and
and advocacy
advocacy network
network –– please
please call
call 01273
01273 234770.
234770.
TB
TB is
is much
much less
less common
common in
in the
the UK
UK than
than itit was
was early
early last
last
century,
century, but
but the
the number
number of
of TB
TB cases
cases has
has been
been rising
rising since
since
about
about 1990.
1990. TB
TB is
is very
very common
common in
in some
some developing
developing
countries
countries where
where many
many people
people cannot
cannot easily
easily access
access the
the drugs
drugs
they
they need
need to
to get
get better.
better.
Can
Can anyone
anyone get
get TB?
TB?
Yes,
Yes, anyone
anyone can
can get
get TB.
TB. The
The list
list of
of ex-patients
ex-patients includes
includes aa
UK
UK cabinet
cabinet minister,
minister, world
world famous
famous singers
singers and
and an
an
archbishop,
archbishop, amongst
amongst many
many others.
others. However,
However, TB
TB is
is much
much
more
more likely
likely to
to affect
affect people
people who
who live
live in
in poor
poor housing
housing
conditions
conditions or
or do
do not
not have
have nutritious
nutritious diets,
diets, as
as well
well as
as people
people
who
who are
are affected
affected by
by other
other illnesses
illnesses that
that weaken
weaken their
their immune
immune
systems,
systems, such
such as
as HIV.
HIV.
Whilst
Whilst anyone
anyone can
can get
get TB,
TB, itit is
is still
still rare
rare to
to be
be exposed
exposed to
to TB
TB
bacteria
in
the
UK.
Two
of
the
most
effective
preventions
bacteria in the UK. Two of the most effective preventions
against
against TB
TB are:
are:
§
Early
§ Early diagnosis,
diagnosis, to
to stop
stop the
the onward
onward transmission
transmission to
to others
others
§
A
strong
and
healthy
immune
system
§ A strong and healthy immune system
For
For more
more information
information about
about TB
TB and
and to
to read
read about
about real
real
people’s
people’s experience
experience of
of the
the illness,
illness, please
please visit
visit The
The Truth
Truth
About
About TB
TB at
at www.thetruthabouttb.org
www.thetruthabouttb.org
TB
TB Alert
Alert is
is the
the UK’s
UK’s national
national tuberculosis
tuberculosis charity.
charity. Our
Our
projects
projects are
are in
in the
the UK,
UK, India
India and
and Africa,
Africa, and
and we
we also
also work
work
with
with international
international partners
partners to
to tackle
tackle TB
TB as
as aa global
global issue.
issue.
Our
Our activities
activities focus
focus on
on three
three main
main areas:
areas:
§
§ Raising
Raising public
public and
and professional
professional awareness
awareness about
about TB,
TB,
and
and providing
providing support
support to
to patients
patients during
during their
their treatment
treatment
§
§ Bringing
Bringing together
together statutory
statutory health
health services,
services, voluntary
voluntary
organisations
organisations and
and people
people affected
affected by
by TB
TB to
to plan
plan and
and
deliver
deliver better
better TB
TB services
services
§
§ Developing
Developing policy
policy and
and advocating
advocating for
for the
the resources
resources to
to
improve
improve the
the care
care of
of patients
patients and
and the
the prevention
prevention and
and
control
control of
of TB
TB
This
This work
work supports
supports our
our organisational
organisational mission
mission of
of increasing
increasing
access
access to
to effective
effective treatment
treatment for
for all
all people
people affected
affected by
by TB.
TB.
Any
Anyinformation
informationininthis
thisleaflet
leafletregarding
regardingthe
thediagnosis
diagnosisand
andtreatment
treatmentof
oftuberculosis
tuberculosisisisintended
intendedto
to
give
givegeneral
generalinformation
informationon
onthe
thesubject
subjectonly.
only.ItItisisnot
notintended
intendedas
asaasubstitute
substitutefor
forthe
theknowledge,
knowledge,
expertise,
healthcareprofessionals
professionalsinin
expertise,skill
skilland
andjudgement
judgementof
ofphysicians,
physicians,pharmacists
pharmacistsor
orother
otherhealthcare
patient
patientcare.
care.None
Noneof
ofthe
theinformation
informationcontained
containedininthis
thisleaflet
leafletisisintended
intendedto
tobe
beused
usedfor
fordecisions
decisions
on
ondiagnosis
diagnosisor
ortreatment.
treatment.Questions
Questionsand
andconcerns
concernsregarding
regardingdiagnosis
diagnosisand
andtreatment
treatmentshould
shouldbe
be
directed
directedto
toaahealthcare
healthcareprofessional.
professional.
TB Alert
Alert isis aa company
company limited
limited by
by guarantee,
guarantee, registered
registered in
in England
England No.
No. 3606528.
3606528. Registered
Registered Charity
Charity No.
No. 1071886.
1071886. photography:
photography: Gary
Gary Hampton
Hampton ([email protected])
([email protected]) design:
design: worksong,
worksong, london
london 020
020 8352
8352 8300
8300
TB
Revised 2014
There
There is
is aa vaccine
vaccine for
for TB
TB known
known as
as BCG.
BCG. However,
However, itit does
does
not
not work
work in
in all
all cases
cases and
and itit is
is most
most effective
effective in
in young
young children
children
against
against more
more severe
severe forms
forms of
of TB.
TB. In
In the
the UK,
UK, BCG
BCG is
is offered
offered
to
to babies
babies who
who are
are more
more likely
likely to
to be
be exposed
exposed to
to TB
TB bacteria
bacteria
and
and some
some adults
adults whose
whose jobs
jobs put
put them
them at
at increased
increased risk.
risk.
Revised
2013
Revised
2013
Revised
2014
Can
Can TB
TB be
be prevented?
prevented?
Tuberculosis
(TB):
TUBERCULOSIS
Your Questions
Your Questions
Answered
Answered
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problems other than TB, so if you are worried you should talk
to a doctor or nurse at your local surgery or clinic.
How is TB diagnosed?
Tuberculosis (TB) is an illness that people often do not know a
lot about. This leaflet is designed to answer some of your
frequently asked questions about TB.
What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis (TB) is an illness caused by bacteria. TB most
commonly affects the lungs, but you can get TB in almost
any part of your body. TB is curable with a course of
antibiotics, usually lasting six months. TB in the lungs or
throat is the only type of TB that can be infectious, which
means it can be passed on to other people. Most people will
not be infectious within two weeks of starting to take the
correct medicine.
How is TB caught?
When someone with TB in the lungs or throat coughs or
sneezes, TB bacteria can get into the air where they can be
breathed in by other people. You are most likely to get TB
yourself if you have spent a lot of time with a person with
infectious TB, for example living in the same household. It is
unlikely that you could catch TB sitting next to a person with
TB on a bus or train, since close contact for a number of
hours is usually necessary to be at risk of infection. TB is not
spread by spitting or through sharing objects such as cups,
plates and cutlery.
What are the symptoms of TB?
People who are ill with TB may have some of the following
symptoms:
§ A cough that lasts for more than three weeks
§ Fever (high temperature)
§ Heavy night sweats
§ Unexplained weight loss
§ Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
§­
No appetite
TB will only cause a cough if it is affecting your lungs. If TB
is in another part of the body it can also cause pain and
swelling. All of these symptoms may also be signs of
If the doctor thinks you may be ill with TB in the lungs or
throat they will ask you to give a sputum (phlegm) sample,
which they will test for TB bacteria. If the doctor thinks you
may have TB in another part of your body, they may do the
same test using a sample of cells, fluid or tissue. You may
also be offered a skin test, blood test or x-ray.
If I have TB, will I have to stay in hospital?
Most people with TB do not have to stay in hospital, although
you may be admitted briefly to confirm the diagnosis or if
you are resistant to any of the drugs most commonly used
to treat TB.
What is the risk to my loved ones?
If you are diagnosed with TB that could be passed on to
other people, you will be asked by the TB Nurse to make a
list of people you spend most time with. The hospital will then
invite these people to the clinic for screening for TB. They will
be assessed for symptoms of TB and may be offered a skin
test, blood test or x-ray.
What is the treatment for TB?
Your TB doctor or nurse will usually start you on four different
drugs. They are:
§ Rifampicin
§ Pyrazinamide
§ Isoniazid
§ Ethambutol
You may be given all of these drugs together in one tablet
called Voractiv. You may be given Isoniazid, Rifampicin and
Pyrazinamide together in one tablet called Rifater.
After two months, the treatment can usually be reduced to
two drugs, Isoniazid and Rifampicin. These drugs may be
given to you in one tablet called Rifinah.
Can TB drugs cause side effects?
TB drugs can cause side effects, although not everyone gets
them. Common side effects include:
§ Feeling sick or dizzy § Pins and needles
§ Skin rashes
§ Flu-like symptoms
In very few cases people may experience jaundice, which is
the yellowing of the skin or eyes. If this happens, stop taking
your medication and seek medical attention straight away.
Rifampicin may turn urine and other bodily fluids, such as
tears, orangey red. It can also interact with other medicines.
In particular, it reduces the effectiveness of hormonal
contraceptives (oral pill, implants or other).
Ethambutol may rarely cause visual disturbances (blurred
and red/green colour disturbance). Your doctor or nurse will
arrange for you to have an eye test prior to starting
Ethambutol. If you develop visual disturbances whilst taking
Ethambutol, please stop taking it and inform your doctor or
nurse immediately.
Remember:
Ë It is important to tell your doctor that you are on TB
treatment when being prescribed other medicines
Ë Women should use additional means of contraception
when they are taking TB drugs
Ë Let your TB Nurse or doctor know if you are experiencing
side effects
Where can I go for support?
If you are affected by TB, there is help available so you don’t
feel alone.
Your TB Nurse is there to support you through your TB
treatment. Make sure you attend all your appointments and
let the healthcare professionals know if you are having any
trouble taking your tablets.
You may find it beneficial to speak to someone else who has
also had TB and is now better. TB Alert, the UK’s national
tuberculosis charity, can put you in touch with a member of
the TB Action Group (TBAG) who will be happy to chat with
you and help you through your treatment.