How do I prevent TB?

I was exposed to TB people where I stayed at. I did not know until I saw my brother took the medicine, I also found out other people in the house also had TB and took the medicines for 9 months.

After I moved, I went checked and result showed I did not have TB.

I'm currently in a different state, I plan to move back to there. But I'm afraid to expose to TB again as I may see my brother often. I have a young 9months baby, I don't want my baby to be at risk.

Is there any way that we could prevent from getting TB when we are exposed to TB?

Thanks.

I read the first few answers and looks like they are out of subject.

I and my baby DO NOT have TB right now. But we are planning to move back to the state where my brother lives. We are asking a good way to prevent TB when we are going to meet people that has TB.

We do know what TB stands for!

TB is a killer. The best way to prevent TB is by avoiding the bacteria. Luckily, u know where it abounds so stay away. Your baby will get the disease sooner than u will cos it's immune system isn't built up yet and if it is, it isn't as strong as yours cos it hasn't had to fight easy bugs or common bugs that kids get. Honestly, your kid may even die with TB without you having a clue that the TB infected him.

I must tell you that the medication is said to be very potent. In fact, I am impressed that your brother and others aren't having complications from using the medications...or maybe they are and u didn't say. Anyway, it's either their TB is under control...no, I wouldn't even advice that.

It's better safe than sorry. Prevention is better than cure and u seem to be interested in learning this TB thing and caring for the situation of your 9-month-old. Stay away. Don't let them handle your baby. No kisses to any part of the baby because they even get their feet in their mouths. Save your baby. Do not expose it.

Tell your brother that the medication doesn't mean that he is immune to TB. It's like flu; you can always get it again. The next time might be worse because even now, there are reports of TB strains, which are resistant to antibiotics. Ususally resistance comes from pple who are non-compliant and do not finish their antibiotic regimen. They stop when they feel better or their symptoms disappear. Well, the symptoms will go away first but not the bugs so when they stop taking their meds, the bacteria has time to rebound and change their structure or certain other things that will make the antibiotics ineffective towards them. That's when we say they (bacteria) have become resistant.
He must be taking a cocktail of meds (INH, RIF, etc). Go online and learn more about TB and treatment.

Good luck with your moves. Are u moving to Africa? In Africa, for instance, TB has been declared a state of emergency. Remember that TB is spread by air and definitely by contact. Take precautions.
Symptoms of TB include: Night sweats, fever, chills, continuous coughing, shortness of breath, coughing up blood (tiny specks or a lot), malaise (just don't feel well), anorexia (not eating well and causing you to lose weight. This is not a healthy thing). There are other symptoms too. TB is curable but u have to risk losing or damaging ur liver. Why, when u can avoid it all together?

Go ahead and take a tb skin test if it has been up to one year since your last test. Tell them of your baby too:)

Thank you. I really hope you and your baby are protected. Prevent it before u contract it because tuberculosis has a latent period during which it just lies most commonly in the lungs and multiplies slowly. Report It

If u are not on point with your mantoux (tb) skin tests, you may never know when it becomes active. If u ever test positive once, u cannot repeat the skin test again. You'll need chest xrays to confirm and maybe blood work too. Report It

It should be up to u to decide whether u want treatment while it is still latent (not causing symptoms/trouble) or u want to wait till u notice changes (symptoms). Report It

One thing to help u make that decision is the fact that those drugs, INH, RIF, Ethambutol, PRO, etc are highly toxic to the liver, kidneys, and nerves. They can affect eye sight too. Choose life but choose wisely. Report It

"TB" is short for a disease called tuberculosis. TB is spread by tiny germs that can float in the air. The TB germs may spray into the air if a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, shouts, or sneezes. Anyone nearby can breathe TB germs into the lungs.

TB germs can live in your body without making you sick. This is called TB infection. Your immune system traps TB germs with special germ fighters. Your germ fighters keep TB germs from making you sick.

But sometimes, the TB germs can break away and spread. Then they cause TB disease. The germs can attack the lungs or other parts of the body. They can go to the kidneys, the brain, or the spine. If people have TB disease, they need medical help. If they don鈥檛 get help, they can die.

How do I know if I have TB infection?
A skin test is the only way to tell if you have TB infection. The test is "positive" if a bump about the size of a pencil eraser or bigger appears on your arm. This bump means you probably have TB infection.




What should I do if I have TB infection?
If you have TB infection, you may need treatment so you will not get TB disease later. This is called "preventive" treatment. Isoniazid (INH) is the anti-TB drug used most often.

Unless you get preventive treatment, TB infection can turn into TB disease. Those who are more likely to get sick from TB disease include:

alcoholics or injection drug users;

people with certain medical conditions such as diabetes, certain types of cancers, and being underweight; and especially

people with HIV infection (the virus that causes AIDS).

These things make your body weaker. When your body is weaker, it can鈥檛 fight TB germs any more and TB infection can turn into TB disease.

It is very important that your take your preventive treatment as soon as your doctor recommends. It takes at least six months to a year to kill all the TB germs. Remember, you will always have TB germs in your body unless you kill them with the right medicine.

Protect your family and friends from TB - take all your anti-TB drugs!

lots of good rest and diet will make ou amune system strong, so you can cross that bridge when you get to it

Your family members should know whether they are infectious or not (meaning they can spread it to others). If they don't know or you aren't sure about thier answers call up your baby's pediatrician. They can tell what to do. I know there are masks called the N95 for adult health care workers to avoid TB.

TB is lighter than air the only other disease that is as conteageous is vericella or chickenpox i would not expose your baby to this at all you need to talk with your doctor about preventative measures and get confirmation that the people that you will be having contact with are in full tb remission and keep getting tested.