Tuberculosis risk factors
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Progression from TB infection to TB disease occurs when the TB bacilli overcome the immune system defenses and begin to multiply.
Risk Factors
In primary TB disease—1 to 5% of cases—this occurs soon after infection. However, in the majority of cases, a latent infection occurs that has no obvious symptoms. These dormant bacilli can produce tuberculosis in 2 to 23% of these latent cases, often many years after infection.[1] The risk of reactivation increases with immunosuppression, such as that caused by infection with HIV. In patients co-infected with HIV, the risk of reactivation increases to 10% per year.
The following people are at higher risk for active TB:
- Elderly
- Infants
- People with weakened immune systems, such as:
- Hematologic and reticuloendothelial disease
- End-stage kidney disease
- History of gastrectomy
- Or those taking medications, such as:
- Immunosuppressive medications, such as corticosteroids, tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockers[2]
Your risk of contracting TB increases if you:
- Are in frequent contact with people who have TB
- Have poor nutrition
- Live in crowded place or with poor hygiene
The following factors may increase the rate of TB infection in a population:
- Chest X-ray with evidence of previous TB disease
- Increase in HIV infections
- Increase in number of homeless people
- The appearance of drug-resistant strains of TB
Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis
Drug resistance is more common in people who:[3]
- Do not take their TB medicine regularly
- Do not take all of their TB medicine as told by their doctor or nurse
- Develop TB disease again, after having taken TB medicine in the past
- Come from areas of the world where drug-resistant TB is common
- Have spent time with someone known to have drug-resistant TB disease
References
- ↑ Parrish N, Dick J, Bishai W (1998). "Mechanisms of latency in Mycobacterium tuberculosis". Trends Microbiol. 6 (3): 107–12. PMID 9582936.
- ↑ Mutlu G, Mutlu E, Bellmeyer A, Rubinstein I (2006). "Pulmonary adverse events of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha antibody therapy". Am J Med. 119 (8): 639–46. PMID 16887405.
- ↑ "Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis".