See your doctor immediately if you have a fever, unexplained weight loss, night sweats and a persistent cough. These are often signs of TB, but they can also result from other medical problems. Your doctor can perform tests to help determine the cause. TB can be diagnosed by your primary care doctor as well as by a doctor who specializes in lung diseases (pulmonologist) or by an infectious disease specialist. If you don't have a doctor, your local public health department can help.
Even if you don't have signs or symptoms, experts advise being tested for TB if you:
- Have HIV. Everyone who is HIV-positive should have a skin test for TB soon after a diagnosis of HIV. If you test positive for TB, you'll also need a chest X-ray and other appropriate tests to make sure you don't have an active infection. Because TB is especially dangerous for people with HIV/AIDS, see your doctor immediately if you develop any respiratory symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, or any other problems that might indicate TB infection.
- Have close daily contact with someone who has contagious TB. This could be a family member, friend or co-worker. In general, only pulmonary TB is contagious.
- Work in a residential facility such as a prison or nursing home. Often, people who work in hospitals, prisons, nursing homes or schools are required to have TB tests.
No comments:
Post a Comment