When a person has a drug resistant strain of TB, the treatment will be more complex. It is essential to complete the full course of treatment, even if symptoms go away. If a person stops taking their medication early, some bacteria can survive and become resistant to antibiotics.
In this case, the person may go on to develop drug resistant TB. They can spread through the air in droplets when a person with pulmonary TB coughs, sneezes, spits, laughs, or talks. Only people with active TB can transmit the infection. However, most people with the disease can no longer transmit the bacteria after they have received appropriate treatment for at least 2 weeks. However, experts in the U. Some of the reasons include a low risk of infection in the country and a high likelihood that the vaccine will interfere with any future TB skin tests.
People with weakened immune systems are most likely to develop active TB. The following are some issues that can weaken the immune system.
This means that a person with HIV has a higher risk of developing TB and experiencing more severe symptoms than a person with a healthy immune system. Treatment for TB can be complex in a person with HIV, but a doctor can develop a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses both issues. TB can become a complication of HIV. Learn about other complications here. Tobacco use and secondhand smoke increase the risk of developing TB. These factors also make the disease harder to treat and more likely to return after treatment.
Quitting smoking and avoiding contact with smoke can reduce the risk of developing TB. Some other health issues that weaken the immune system and can increase the risk of developing TB include:. Also, some medical treatments, such as an organ transplant, impede the functioning of the immune system.
Spending time in a country where TB is common can also increase the risk of developing it. If it spreads throughout the body, the infection can cause problems with the cardiovascular system and metabolic function , among other issues. TB can also lead to sepsis , a potentially life threatening form of infection. The person can still be cured of TB but they probably need to take other drugs called second line drugs.
This page was last updated in May Author Annabel Kanabus. If you have found this page useful please tell other people about TBFacts. What causes TB? The bacteria that cause TB.
This recommendation includes people who:. Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air. This can happen when someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs or sings.
Although tuberculosis is contagious, it's not easy to catch. You're much more likely to get tuberculosis from someone you live or work with than from a stranger. Most people with active TB who've had appropriate drug treatment for at least two weeks are no longer contagious.
HIV suppresses the immune system, making it difficult for the body to control TB bacteria. Tuberculosis also remains a major killer because of the increase in drug-resistant strains. Over time, some TB germs have developed the ability to survive despite medications. This is partly because people don't take their drugs as directed or don't complete the course of treatment. Drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis emerge when an antibiotic fails to kill all of the bacteria it targets.
The surviving bacteria become resistant to that drug and often other antibiotics as well. Some TB bacteria have developed resistance to the most commonly used treatments, such as isoniazid and rifampin Rifadin, Rimactane. Some TB strains have also developed resistance to drugs less commonly used in TB treatment, such as the antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones, and injectable medications including amikacin and capreomycin Capastat.
These medications are often used to treat infections that are resistant to the more commonly used drugs. A healthy immune system often successfully fights TB bacteria. Page last reviewed: 12 November Next review due: 12 November Latent or active TB In most healthy people, the immune system is able to destroy the bacteria that cause TB. Who's most at risk?
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