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Stopping the infection spreading

 
The infection can be prevented from spreading by covering the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing, disposing of it carefully and then washing your hands.

You will not be infectious:

  • after two weeks of treatment
  • when TB affects the lymph glands or other parts of the body, other than your lungs
  • if you are a child between 3 and 12 years' old with primary TB.

Who is at greatest risk?

  • Close family contacts
  • Children under three years
  • Adolescents
  • Elderly persons
  • People who are HIV positive
  • Those suffering from chronic alcohol or drug abuse
  • Homeless people, or those suffering from social economic deprivation

Check-ups

A check-up will be offered to family and, in some cases, work colleagues. A chest x-ray is usually taken for adults, and a simple skin test for children and younger teenagers. A specimen of phlegm may also be examined.

If the test is negative, you have not been infected and will be offered a BCG vaccination. If the skin test is positive, it either means that you have had BCG in the past, or have been infected with TB at some stage. Occasionally a simpler course of anti-TB medication is given to people who appear entirely well but are at increased risk of becoming ill with TB in the future.

Vaccination

Nearly all children will have had a vaccination against TB, called the BCG, either in the first few weeks after birth, or at about the age of twelve. BCG vaccination does not give complete protection against TB, but it does help the body's defences to fight it off. Until only a few years ago TB was becoming less common. However, there has recently been an increase in the number of reported cases. 

Further information

You can contact our Environmental Health Team using the contact information in the right-hand menu.

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