Testing for Latent Tuberculosis: Questions for the doctor

Tuberculosis, or TB, is a serious disease that most often affects the lungs. When someone is sick with TB, it’s called active TB. Active TB can spread from person to person through the air, like when someone with active TB sneezes or coughs.

Sometimes, people may get TB but it doesn’t make them feel sick. This is called latent tuberculosis infection, or LTBI. People with LTBI may not know they have TB – so they need to get tested.

Talk to your doctor about getting tested for LTBI if you:

• Were born in or have lived in a country where TB is common – including Mexico, the Philippines, Vietnam, India, or China
• Live or have lived in a large group setting – for example, a homeless shelter or a prison

If you have LTBI, you can’t pass it on to others by sneezing or coughing. But if LTBI isn’t treated, it can turn into active TB. This could make you very sick, and you could then pass TB on to others.

Remember, LTBI doesn’t cause any signs or symptoms – so the only way to know if you have it is to get tested. That’s why it’s important to talk to your doctor if you are at risk for LTBI.

What do I ask the doctor?

Visiting the doctor can be stressful. It helps to have questions for the doctor or nurse written down ahead of time. Print this list of questions and take it to your appointment.

• What puts me at risk for LTBI?
• Do I need to get tested for LTBI?
• How often do you recommend I get tested for LTBI?
• What are the different types of screening tests for LTBI?
• Which screening test do you recommend? Why?
• How will I find out my test results?
• When will I get my test results?
• If I have LTBI, what will happen next?
• Can you give me some information about LTBI to take home with me?