Tuberculosis and HIV disease

November 2004     View PDF     En español

TB infection and disease

TB infection is not the same as having TB disease. For most people who are exposed to TB bacteria and become infected the immune system can stop the bacteria from growing. Nine out of ten people with healthy immune systems who are infected with TB do not get active disease. They feel well and cannot spread TB to others. This is also true for people who have active TB disease but not in their lungs. Most people with active disease can no longer pass on TB after about three weeks of treatment. TB disease develops when the immune system cannot fight off the infection. People with HIV are ten times more likely to develop active TB than HIV-negative people. For this reason, routine TB screening and appropriate preventive therapy and treatment, when needed, is critical for people living with HIV.

TB is an ever-increasing concern for people living with HIV. In some parts of the world, TB is the leading cause of death of people with HIV. In the U.S. TB prevention and control efforts have been strengthened. However, in environments with crowded living conditions and poor ventilation, such as homeless shelters nursing homes, and prisons, TB is more common. Young children, seniors and people of color are at an increased risk of developing active TB disease. In addition the following factors put a person at an increased risk for developing active TB disease: pregnancy, HIV, Diabetes, Long-term kidney failure, poor nutrition, alcohol and/or injection drug use.