What is the difference between TB infection and TB disease?
TB infection means that the TB germ can be found in your body, but it doesn t make you feel sick. A healthy immune system can t destroy the TB germ by itself if you get infected with TB, but it can keep the TB germs trapped in your lungs and unable to spread. But because the TB germ is strong and protects itself with a thick coating, it can remain in an inactive state in the body for many years. TB disease occurs when the immune system can t keep the TB germs trapped anymore. The TB germs can attack the lungs, or even go to the kidneys, brain, or spine.
People with TB infection (without disease) have the germ that causes TB in their body. They may have been carrying this germ for a short or a very long time, but they are not sick because the germ lies inactive in the body. The body’s strong immune system has the germs under control. While the TB germs are inactive in your body, they cannot hurt you and you cannot spread them to other people. In fact, if you are infected by the TB germs, you probably will not know it and you will not feel sick. However, there is always the possibility that you may develop TB disease sometime in the future, when body defenses become weakened. Therefore, medicine is often prescribed to prevent TB disease from developing. People with TB disease are sick from TB germs that are active in their body. It is possible to get TB disease shortly after the germs enter the body. And, it is also possible for inactive TB germs which have been in the body for many years to suddenly break loose and attack the lungs or
TB infection: The TB germ is alive in your body but not making you sick, and you will not spread the germ to anyone else. Your immune system traps the TB germ. TB disease: The germ becomes active. It can attack the lungs or other parts of the body. The individual can become very sick and even die. If it attacks the lungs, it can then be spread to others.
