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Can TB Infection Be Transmitted Through Close Contact?
Question: Dear doctor, I was in chat with you regarding my TB treatment here in the UK. I hope you remember me. My ALT has come down to 280 now. so may be in next 3-4 days it should be below 200 and Dr here will reintroduce medicines. My today's query is about my wife. She was obviously staying with me unaware about my TB until I was diagnosed with TB. There are chances that she has caught bacteria. As a precaution hospital tested her for TB about 20 days ago. Her skin test came positive. Her sputum smear test Negative, chest X-ray normal. So Dr decided to do CT scan of chest for more detail. We are awaiting CT scan result. She has from last three days developed moderate cough (unproductive) and chest burning like heartburn. No fever yet. Only yesterday night she had some night sweat. According to you how much her chances are to develop either Latent or Active TB? What our next steps should be? Does treatment of active or latent TB affect pregnancy? she is not pregnant yet but we are planning for IVF. Please advise. Thanks
Brief Answer:
There is 10-15% chances of cross infection in close contact.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your direct question on Healthcare Magic.
Yes, I remember you.
It's good that you are improving.
Answer to your 1st question.
There are 10-15% chances of cross infection in close contact like family members.
Answer to your 2nd question.
Your next step is to wait for CT report. If it is negative then give her routine cough suppressant for symptomatic relief. If it is positive for TB then she will also need anti tubercular treatment.
I don't think she will have tuberculosis.
Answer to your 3rd question.
First line anti tubercular drugs, rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol are safe in pregnancy. But it is advisable not to get pregnant if you are on anti tubercular drugs because these drugs can cause many side effects like gastritis, vomiting, hepatitis, nausea etc and all these can worsen by pregnancy. So better to take precautions while on anti tubercular drugs.
May I ask you some personal questions? Only if you permit.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.
There is 10-15% chances of cross infection in close contact.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your direct question on Healthcare Magic.
Yes, I remember you.
It's good that you are improving.
Answer to your 1st question.
There are 10-15% chances of cross infection in close contact like family members.
Answer to your 2nd question.
Your next step is to wait for CT report. If it is negative then give her routine cough suppressant for symptomatic relief. If it is positive for TB then she will also need anti tubercular treatment.
I don't think she will have tuberculosis.
Answer to your 3rd question.
First line anti tubercular drugs, rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol are safe in pregnancy. But it is advisable not to get pregnant if you are on anti tubercular drugs because these drugs can cause many side effects like gastritis, vomiting, hepatitis, nausea etc and all these can worsen by pregnancy. So better to take precautions while on anti tubercular drugs.
May I ask you some personal questions? Only if you permit.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
Thanks for your reply. You can ask personal questions and if appropriate I will give you answers. Thanks
Brief Answer:
Thanks for your permission.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
Thanks for your permission.
Please let me know
1. Were you sexually active with your wife since you are diagnosed with TB? I am asking this because sexual intercourse needs physically intimacy. And so you can spread disease to your wife more in sexual intercourse.
Answer only if you are comfortable.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.
Thanks for your permission.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
Thanks for your permission.
Please let me know
1. Were you sexually active with your wife since you are diagnosed with TB? I am asking this because sexual intercourse needs physically intimacy. And so you can spread disease to your wife more in sexual intercourse.
Answer only if you are comfortable.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Priyanka G Raj
Hi, it was in total 10 weeks between start of my cough and my diagnosis of TB. Yes we were sexually active during those 10 weeks but about 3-4 times a month mostly before ovulation. Thanks
And yes, it did not involve foresex.
And yes, it did not involve foresex.
Brief Answer:
She should take prophylaxis for tuberculosis if CT scan is normal.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
In my opinion she is at risk of cross infection.
So if CT scan is suggestive of tb then she needs to take anti tubercular drugs for sure.
But if her CT scan is normal then she should take prophylaxis for tuberculosis as she is in close contact with you.
So wait till CT report comes.
And why IVF? Have you ruled out genital tuberculosis in her?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing you and your wife good health. Thanks.
She should take prophylaxis for tuberculosis if CT scan is normal.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
In my opinion she is at risk of cross infection.
So if CT scan is suggestive of tb then she needs to take anti tubercular drugs for sure.
But if her CT scan is normal then she should take prophylaxis for tuberculosis as she is in close contact with you.
So wait till CT report comes.
And why IVF? Have you ruled out genital tuberculosis in her?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing you and your wife good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Priyanka G Raj
Hi, IVF due to problems in natural conception. What is genital TB? How it's tested? How could I have spread to her genital? What's the treatment? Dr here never mentioned about it. Thanks.
Brief Answer:
Genital tuberculosis means tb infection of female reproductive organs.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Yes, I know that IVF is done only when couple is not able to concive naturally.
There are a lot of factors involved in this.
So I just want to know the cause for not conceiving naturally.
Basically there are two broad causes for infertility.
1. Male factors
2. Female factors.
Male factors include low sperms or absent sperms, poor motility etc. And all these are seen in tuberculosis. Since you are suffering from tuberculosis, we should rule out male factors in your case.
In female factors, especially if woman is XXXXXXX origin, genital tuberculosis should be ruled out first. Genital TB is TB infection of female reproductive organs (ovaries, fallopian tube, uterus, cervix etc). So I was just asking that if she has been ruled out genital TB or not.
Genital TB needs hysterosalpingography, CT scan of reproductive organs and laparoscopic Biopsy of tissue.
It is not spreaded by you. But it can be due to reactivation tb in females.
And treatment is same as of pulmonary tuberculosis.
So please let me know
1. Is your semen examination normal?
2. What is the cause for infertility in her?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing you and your wife good health. Thanks.
Genital tuberculosis means tb infection of female reproductive organs.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Yes, I know that IVF is done only when couple is not able to concive naturally.
There are a lot of factors involved in this.
So I just want to know the cause for not conceiving naturally.
Basically there are two broad causes for infertility.
1. Male factors
2. Female factors.
Male factors include low sperms or absent sperms, poor motility etc. And all these are seen in tuberculosis. Since you are suffering from tuberculosis, we should rule out male factors in your case.
In female factors, especially if woman is XXXXXXX origin, genital tuberculosis should be ruled out first. Genital TB is TB infection of female reproductive organs (ovaries, fallopian tube, uterus, cervix etc). So I was just asking that if she has been ruled out genital TB or not.
Genital TB needs hysterosalpingography, CT scan of reproductive organs and laparoscopic Biopsy of tissue.
It is not spreaded by you. But it can be due to reactivation tb in females.
And treatment is same as of pulmonary tuberculosis.
So please let me know
1. Is your semen examination normal?
2. What is the cause for infertility in her?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing you and your wife good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Priyanka G Raj
Thanks Dr. She had missed miscarriage in 2013. D&C was done to remove it. Then again she had tubal ectopic. So right salpingectomy was done to remove right tube. Again she had very early miscarriage at 5 weeks. Tests were done at fertility clinic. Not sure about TB but all other tests were normal other than it came that she has low egg reserves And she needs to take 75mg Levothyroxine for thyroid . My sperm analysis was normal. Please advise any thing to be done now or wait till CT report? Her symptoms could be other thing??? Thanks
Brief Answer:
Wait for CT scan report.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
You should discuss about genital tuberculosis and it's chances in her with her gynecologist.
At present, we should wait for CT report.
Other possible cause for her current symptoms is viral infection. So give her antihistamine like levocetrizine or fexofenadine once a day. Tell her to drink plenty of fluids orally, do warm water gargles 5-6 times a day.
Don't worry, she will be alright.
Hope I have solved your query. If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar. Wishing you and your wife good health. Thanks.
Wait for CT scan report.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
You should discuss about genital tuberculosis and it's chances in her with her gynecologist.
At present, we should wait for CT report.
Other possible cause for her current symptoms is viral infection. So give her antihistamine like levocetrizine or fexofenadine once a day. Tell her to drink plenty of fluids orally, do warm water gargles 5-6 times a day.
Don't worry, she will be alright.
Hope I have solved your query. If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar. Wishing you and your wife good health. Thanks.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar
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