Who is most likely to get TB?
Some people are more likely to be infected with the latent form of TB. These include: • persons who were born in a foreign country with high rates of TB • persons who have lived in a foreign country with high rates of TB • persons who have spent time with someone with active TB disease • persons who live or spend a lot of time in crowded places Some people who are infected with latent TB have a greater risk of progressing to active TB disease. These include: • persons who became infected with TB in the last 2 years • children under 5 years of age • new immigrants from countries with high rates of TB – persons who have been in the United States for less than 5 years • persons with weakened immune systems • persons with certain kinds of lung disease, such as silicosis • persons with diabetes • persons who have had stomach or bowel surgery • persons who take certain medications for arthritis • persons who take prednisone or other steroids • persons who have had cancer of the head, neck or
