Prevention
If you test positive for latent TB infection, you may need to take drugs to prevent active TB disease.
Preventing the spread of disease
If you have active TB disease, you’ll need to take steps to prevent other people from getting an infection. You will take drugs for four, six or nine months. Take all of the drugs as directed during the entire time.
During the first 2 to 3 weeks, you will be able to pass TB bacteria to others. Protect others with these steps:
Stay home. Don’t go to work or school.
Isolate at home. Spend as little time as possible among members of your household. Sleep in a separate room.
Ventilate the room. Tuberculosis germs spread more easily in small, closed spaces. If it’s not too cold outdoors, open the windows. Use a fan to blow air out. If you have more than one window, use one fan to blow air out and another to blow air in.
Wear face masks. Wear a mask when you have to be around other people. Ask other members of the household to wear masks to protect themselves.
Cover your mouth. Use a tissue to cover your mouth anytime you sneeze or cough. Put the dirty tissue in a bag, seal it and throw it away.
Vaccinations
In countries where tuberculosis is common, infants often are vaccinated with the bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine. This protects infants and toddlers who are more likely to have active TB disease in the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
The vaccine may not protect against disease in the lungs, which is more likely in the United States. Dozens of new TB vaccines are in various stages of development and testing.
