How Is TB Spread?
TB is most commonly spread from a person with active TB in their lungs. When someone with active TB disease in their lungs or throat coughs, sings or speaks, TB bacteria may be released into the air. TB bacteria can stay in the air for a short to moderate amount of time. Breathing air with TB may result in a person developing TB – 90% of cases are latent TB. TB is not spread in food and cannot be killed by air fresheners. You do not get TB from the environment (such as desk tops). TB does not live very long outside of the body.You cannot get TB from someone’s clothes, drinking glass, eating utensils, cell phone, handshake, toilet, or other surfaces where a TB patient has been. TB is also killed by ultraviolet light from the sun, so it cannot survive in sunlight. This makes outdoor spread from person to person very rare.
TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The bacteria are put into the air when a person with active TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs or sneezes. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected. When a person breathes in TB bacteria, the bacteria can settle in the lungs and begin to grow. From there, they can move through the blood to other parts of the body, such as the kidney, spine, and brain. TB in the lungs or throat can be infectious. This means that the bacteria can be spread to other people. TB in other parts of the body, such as the kidney or spine, is usually not infectious. People with active TB disease are most likely to spread it to people they spend time with every day. This includes family members, friends, and coworkers. People with active TB disease can be treated and cured if they seek medical help. Even better, people with latent TB infection can take medicine so that they will not develop active TB disease.
TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The bacteria are put into the air when a person with active TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected. When a person breathes in TB bacteria, the bacteria can settle in the lungs and begin to grow. From there, they can move through the blood to other parts of the body, such as the kidney, spine, and brain. TB in the lungs or throat can be infectious. This means that the bacteria can be spread to other people. TB in other parts of the body, such as the kidney or spine, is usually not infectious. People with active TB disease are most likely to spread it to people they spend time with every day. This includes family members, friends, and coworkers or schoolmates.
