What to do about TB?

I don't have TB. Someone apparently from my school has TB and they have requested for a TB test. I don't know if I want to take this test. I'm pretty sure I don't have TB, I don't have any symptoms. Can anybody tell me about TB and such?

I'm scared out of my mind.

Don't be scared. TB is curable if you have it. The most important thing is prompt diagnosis and treatment.

The problem with TB is that when you are exposed it may go into your body and become latent, which essentially means that it is sleeping in your body. In this case you would exhibit no symptoms of TB and you would not be infectious but for the rest of your life there would be the chance that the TB would "wake-up" and become active. This would make you very ill and contagious to other people. But remember while the TB is sleeping you are not sick and it cannot hurt you. The big concern is if it "wakes up".

Take the test then you know if you were exposed and there are treatment options even for the "sleeping" TB.

Take the test, it's no big deal. They will put just the bare tip of a needle underneath the skin on your forearm. It will make a little bubble that will be gone in minutes. A day or maybe it's 2, can't remember and you will go back so they can look at the coloration. In the Marine Corps, on frequent deployments, they gave them to us all the time.

to actually contract TB you have to be in very close contact with the person with ACTIVE TB for there to even be a chance to contract the virus. Such as...you would have had to been in the same room for a fairly long period of time or they would have had to cough on your face and little droplets of mucus would have to contact you. A positive skin test for TB also doesn't necessarily mean you have TB, you actually have to get an xray of the lungs to prove wether or not it is active or not. It is a very rare disease but is horrible once you get it. You are probably okay, but you should get checked just in case.

the test a little scratch on the arm and my brother contracting it when someone in his school had it,, he didnt have any classes with this kid but did with some people who did, it passes from person to person, and you dont have to "feel" sick to have TB, it lays in your body for months before you even realize you have flu like symptoms.. get tested and be safe than sorry...