How Long Before a TB Test Shows Results?
Identification TB, which is short for tuberculosis, can be fatal if it’s not treated properly. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, it was once the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. TB is tricky because once you breathe in the bacteria, which is the only way to get it, your immune system can stop the bacteria from spreading through your body, but not actually get rid of the TB. That means that years later, when your immune system is compromised in some way, you can develop the disease. You can’t give anyone the disease if you’ve got latent TB. You become contagious only when the bacteria multiplies in your body, giving you TB disease. When you have a latent infection, you won’t even have symptoms. When to Get Tested If you have been around a person with TB disease, you have to get a test to make sure you haven’t inhaled the bacteria. You also should get tested if you have HIV or another cause of a weakened immune system, come from a place with high TB disease
