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How Is Tuberculosis Spread From Person To Person?

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Posted on Thu, 7 Jun 2018
Question: What is the likelihood I contracted tb from a patient.Night sweats chill,no fever,unproductive cough
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Jolanda (54 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
it should be a close and long contact

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome in HCM

I can understand your concern

Usually a subject might be contaminated with tb if he/she is in a long time in contact with patients with tb.

This is mostly for medical personnel who works in the hospital.Other groups are in risk to be infected with tb such as people with comorbidities especially in low income countries or immunosuppressive patients (who takes steroids for a long time ).

Nevertheless the close contact should be long (for example 2-4 weeks ) and the person with tb should be in the active phase too.

According to the history you provide i don't think you might have tb.However if you want you can give me some more info regarding and i will help you more.

Regards and feel free to ask me again

Dr.Jolanda
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Jolanda (9 minutes later)
What could be other causes of night sweats and chill?We were wearing N95 MASKS.No fever,non productive cough slight.None of the other teams reported any symptoms.6 pound weight loss since XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Jolanda (14 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
continue discussion

Detailed Answer:
There are a lot of diseases that might cause night sweats and chill (like pnemonia,tb,brucelosis, heart problems, rheumatologic problems )

If you think that you might be contaminated by tb you should be examined for it.

You should do PPD skin test and Quantiferon alpha blood test.

A chest X Ray too.

According to the results will be the follow-up.

Regards

Dr.Jolanda


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Jolanda

Pulmonologist

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 2902 Questions

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How Is Tuberculosis Spread From Person To Person?

Brief Answer: it should be a close and long contact Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome in HCM I can understand your concern Usually a subject might be contaminated with tb if he/she is in a long time in contact with patients with tb. This is mostly for medical personnel who works in the hospital.Other groups are in risk to be infected with tb such as people with comorbidities especially in low income countries or immunosuppressive patients (who takes steroids for a long time ). Nevertheless the close contact should be long (for example 2-4 weeks ) and the person with tb should be in the active phase too. According to the history you provide i don't think you might have tb.However if you want you can give me some more info regarding and i will help you more. Regards and feel free to ask me again Dr.Jolanda