Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal. In 2008, the Central Shenandoah Health District had a case rate of 3.2 per 100,000 people, which was a significant decrease from the 2006 rate of 5.5 per 100,000 and comparable to the case rate for the commonwealth, 3.8 per 100,000 persons.
TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with active TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.
TB is NOT spread by
Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. As a result, two TB-related conditions exist: latent TB infection and active TB disease.
A Person with Latent TB Infection |
A Person with TB Disease |
• Has no symptoms |
• Has symptoms that may include: |
• Does not feel sick |
• Usually feels sick |
• Cannot spread TB bacteria to others |
• May spread TB bacteria to others |
• Usually has a skin test or blood test result indicating TB infection |
• Usually has a skin test or blood test result indicating TB infection |
• Has a normal chest x-ray and a negative sputum smear |
• May have an abnormal chest x-ray, or positive sputum smear or culture |
• Needs treatment for latent TB infection to prevent active TB disease |
• Needs treatment to treat active TB disease |
CDC TB website
VDH TB website
State TB Control Offices
