What Is TB Infection?
Latent TB infection means that although a person has the TB infection in their body, it is dormant and can not spread to others. Latent TB infection can develop into active TB disease. Any other disease or condition which compromises the immune system can increase the likelihood that TB infection will develop into TB disease. Treatment is recommended for most people with latent TB infection, especially those at increased risk for active disease. An inactive infection does not cause the person to feel sick, display any TB symptoms, or become contagious. However, it normally causes the person to have a positive skin test reaction and, unless the person receives treatment, he/she may develop TB disease at some point in the future.
In most people who breathe in TB bacteria and become infected, the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from growing. The bacteria are walled off become inactive, but they remain alive in the body and can become active later. This is called TB infection. Many people who have TB infection never develop TB disease.
