What you need to know about Latent TB:
Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB usually affects the lungs but it can also affect other parts of the body such as the brain, lymph nodes, kidneys, bones, joints, larynx, intestines or eyes.
If you have a TB blood test: Quantiferon/T-spot positive and your chest X-ray was normal, this finding is consistent with latent TB. Patients with latent TB have an annual risk of development of active tuberculosis disease is estimated to be 0.1%, per TST/QFT Interpreter from TSTin3D.com. Cumulative risk of active tuberculosis disease up to the age of 80 is 4.21% and risk increases to 8% for patients who have other comorbidities.
How is Latent TB treated?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all patients with latent TB to get treatment to eradicate the bacteria in their body system. The latent TB treatment is a weekly regimen for 12 weeks, with oral medication: Isoniazid and Priftin. During the latent TB treatment, patients will be scheduled for follow up visits once a month for three months. Patients will receive a Latent TB completion letter at the end of treatment from our office.