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Can TB Be Infectious After Treatment?
One of my room mate is having TB. Her test were positive(Skin test - 15x13, TB Gold Test is positive and chest xray also showed positive). She was having fever that goes upto 102. But after the diagnosis, she is taking medicines regulary and it is now 5 weeks of her mediciation over. her fever has gone down to 100. She never had any cough, she only had fever. Cough is very rarely. For fisrt 5 weeks i was not with her, i recently shifted and she is my very close friend.
My question is : her fever has gone down to 100 and she has taken medicines for 5 weeks and still continuing the same till the doctors tell her to stop. Can she still be infectious? i cannot leave her like that alone, what precautions should be taken to stay with her? Can she still spread the disease after 5 weeks of proper treatement.
My question is : her fever has gone down to 100 and she has taken medicines for 5 weeks and still continuing the same till the doctors tell her to stop. Can she still be infectious? i cannot leave her like that alone, what precautions should be taken to stay with her? Can she still spread the disease after 5 weeks of proper treatement.
Tue, 5 Apr 2016
Hi,
Thanks for writing to HCM forum.
I have read the description and understand your concern.
Infectiousness of TB patients diminishes rapidly once effective treatment is initiated. There is considerable evidence that patients are no longer infectious after 2 weeks of treatment. They need to meet the following criteria to state that they are noninfectious.
1. They have three consecutive negative AFB sputum smears collected in 8- to 24-hour intervals, out of which at least one being an early morning specimen
2. Their symptoms have improved clinically. For example: they are coughing less and they no longer have a fever
3. They are compliant with an adequate treatment regimen for 2 weeks or longer.
However, they need to take the complete course of treatment without fail and then get tested again for the cure of TB.
Hope the information provided would be helpful.
All the best.
Thanks for writing to HCM forum.
I have read the description and understand your concern.
Infectiousness of TB patients diminishes rapidly once effective treatment is initiated. There is considerable evidence that patients are no longer infectious after 2 weeks of treatment. They need to meet the following criteria to state that they are noninfectious.
1. They have three consecutive negative AFB sputum smears collected in 8- to 24-hour intervals, out of which at least one being an early morning specimen
2. Their symptoms have improved clinically. For example: they are coughing less and they no longer have a fever
3. They are compliant with an adequate treatment regimen for 2 weeks or longer.
However, they need to take the complete course of treatment without fail and then get tested again for the cure of TB.
Hope the information provided would be helpful.
All the best.
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