Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a serious bacterial disease that affects approximately 10 million people throughout the world each year. Although tuberculosis is preventable and curable, it is one of the world’s most fatal infectious diseases, killing approximately 1.5 million people globally each year. Fortunately, tuberculosis can be treated and cured with the right medications.

The University of Kansas Health System is part of an academic medical center that conducts ongoing research, including studies on contagious respiratory illnesses. We are committed to providing the best preventive care and treatment to our patients.

Tuberculosis is a serious bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. Tuberculosis is contagious and is spread from person to person through the air.

Tuberculosis is more common in certain countries, and it spreads more easily in crowded living conditions. People with compromised immune systems are at higher risk of contracting tuberculosis.

Most people infected with tuberculosis bacteria do not develop symptoms or become contagious. When symptoms develop, they usually include persistent cough, fatigue, weight loss, fever and chills.

Although tuberculosis can be fatal if not treated properly, it is curable with the right medications.

Tuberculosis may be inactive (latent) or active.

Only active tuberculosis produces symptoms. These symptoms often include:

• Chest pain
• Chills or night sweats
• Cough that is persistent (3 weeks or longer)
• Coughing up bloody mucus or phlegm
• Feeling achy or stiff
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Weakness or fatigue
• Weight loss

Tuberculosis symptoms are similar to other respiratory infections, but they usually begin gradually and worsen over time. Anyone who is experiencing tuberculosis symptoms should be evaluated by their doctor.

Although anyone can get tuberculosis, those at higher risk for serious tuberculosis infection include:

• Adults over the age of 65
• Children under the age of 5
• People with compromised immune systems
• People with chronic conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease
• People who were born in or travel to countries where tuberculosis is common
• People who live in or work in places where tuberculosis is more common
• People who recently spent time with someone who has active tuberculosis

Your doctor can evaluate you for inactive or active tuberculosis using the following diagnostic criteria:

• Chest X-ray
• Laboratory tests, such as urine test or sputum culture
• Medical history
• Physical exam
• Tests for tuberculosis (TB skin test or TB blood test)

If you have symptoms of tuberculosis and have a positive TB skin test or TB blood test, your doctor may diagnose you with active tuberculosis.

If you have a positive TB skin test or TB blood test but do not have symptoms of tuberculosis, your doctor may diagnose you with inactive tuberculosis.

Because not everyone who is infected with tuberculosis germs has symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends tuberculosis testing for people who are at higher risk for tuberculosis.

There are safe and effective treatments for both inactive and active tuberculosis.

If you have inactive tuberculosis, your doctor may recommend drug treatments to prevent the development of active tuberculosis. Your doctor will discuss which treatment options are best for you. It is important to finish taking all medication as prescribed to prevent inactive tuberculosis from developing into active tuberculosis.

If you have active tuberculosis, your doctor may prescribe several different medicines to treat the disease. When taken as directed, tuberculosis medicines will destroy tuberculosis germs, improve symptoms and prevent the spread of infection.

Treatment for active tuberculosis may take 4 months or longer. It is important to finish taking all medicines as prescribed to fully treat the disease.

When you’re diagnosed with an infectious disease, you need a specialist who knows how to diagnose and treat complex, rare and life-threatening diseases.

Our pediatric and adult infectious disease specialists diagnose and treat a broad range of infectious diseases caused by bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic organisms, including:

• Infections caused by resistant organisms
• Infections that require the use of new and experimental antibiotics
• Infections occurring after chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgical procedures
• Infections arising from injuries, car accidents and gunshot wounds
• Infections in chronically ill or immunocompromised children and adults
• Infections in refugee and immigrant children and adults
• Complications resulting from bone and joint surgery
• Complications from organ transplants of the heart, liver, lungs, kidney, pancreas and bone marrow

Our team is also recognized for its expertise in public health, infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship. We are frequently called on to advise other healthcare providers facing challenging cases or difficult decisions with their patients.

In addition to caring for patients with infectious diseases, our physicians perform leading-edge research to develop new, more effective treatments for dangerous infections.

Our infectious disease specialists are committed to preventing the spread of complex or serious infections. We care for people throughout the region, offering advanced treatments for complex and dangerous infections.

Our physicians are board-certified, fellowship-trained specialists who are nationally recognized for their clinical research and expertise. We treat people with a variety of serious infections, including tuberculosis.