Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with GoogleGet your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
Chest X-ray Showed PTB. Suggested Medication For Antituberculosis. No Symptoms. Possible Spreading Of Bacteria Without Symptoms?
hi Dr.Dinesh Goyal i am diagnose of PTB of my chest x-ray,.but i dont have any symptoms at all,.but my doctor said i have to take my medicine for antitubeculosis,.is it possible to spread bacteria to others even if i dont have any symptoms at all?because i just read that if i have no symptoms at all i cannot spread to others?
Thu, 8 Aug 2013
Hello and welcome to HCM,
I am taking the opportunity to answer your queries.
PTB stands for paucibacillary tuberculosis.
The diagnosis of TB is made on the basis of symptoms, positive culture, and/ or isolation of the bacteria causing TB.
Culture and isolation of the organism are the gold standard for diagnosis of TB.
The positive cases are labelled as MTB (multibacillary TB) and PTB (paucibacillary TB).
Paucibacillay TB refers to low bacterial load and multibacillary refers to heavy bacterial load.
The bacteria has been isolated in your case although the bacterial load is low.
There is risk of transmission of infection to close contacts.
The anti-tubercular treatment makes the person sterile within one month.
Although you are not having symptoms there may be presence of signs which prompted your doctor to order a TB test.
So, don't worry, start your anti-tubercular treatment, and after one month, you will be non-infectious to close contacts.
It is very important to take the drugs regularly and complete the treatment.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja P Wahal
I am taking the opportunity to answer your queries.
PTB stands for paucibacillary tuberculosis.
The diagnosis of TB is made on the basis of symptoms, positive culture, and/ or isolation of the bacteria causing TB.
Culture and isolation of the organism are the gold standard for diagnosis of TB.
The positive cases are labelled as MTB (multibacillary TB) and PTB (paucibacillary TB).
Paucibacillay TB refers to low bacterial load and multibacillary refers to heavy bacterial load.
The bacteria has been isolated in your case although the bacterial load is low.
There is risk of transmission of infection to close contacts.
The anti-tubercular treatment makes the person sterile within one month.
Although you are not having symptoms there may be presence of signs which prompted your doctor to order a TB test.
So, don't worry, start your anti-tubercular treatment, and after one month, you will be non-infectious to close contacts.
It is very important to take the drugs regularly and complete the treatment.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja P Wahal
I find this answer helpful
1 user finds this helpful
2 Doctors agree with this answer
Hello,
Thanks for posting on HCM,
Having PTB without symptoms is rare but possible and the degree of you infecting others is greatly reduced.
You just need to take your antiTB medications and you will regain full recovery in less than no time. I only hope your doctors are extremely sure of their conclusion with only an X-ray as concluding on TB requires more than just X-ray but also clinical grounds. Other lung infections can also present as PTB on x-ray.
Wish you the best.
Dr. Nsah
Thanks for posting on HCM,
Having PTB without symptoms is rare but possible and the degree of you infecting others is greatly reduced.
You just need to take your antiTB medications and you will regain full recovery in less than no time. I only hope your doctors are extremely sure of their conclusion with only an X-ray as concluding on TB requires more than just X-ray but also clinical grounds. Other lung infections can also present as PTB on x-ray.
Wish you the best.
Dr. Nsah
I find this answer helpful
1 Doctor agrees with this answer
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer.
For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service
[Sample answer]
Related questions you may be interested in
Recent questions on Tuberculosis
Loading Online Doctors....