Preventing the spread of infection
If you are diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), which affects the lungs, you will be contagious until you have received treatment for two to three weeks.
You will not need to be isolated during this time, but it is important to take some basic precautions to stop TB spreading to your family and friends. These precautions are:
- Always cover your mouth when coughing, sneezing or laughing.
- Carefully dispose of any used tissues in a sealed plastic bag.
- Open windows when possible to ensure a good supply of fresh air.
- Stay away from work, school or college until your TB treatment team advises you that it is safe to return.
- Do not sleep in the same room as other people because you could cough or sneeze in your sleep without realising it.
Vaccinations
For most people, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination provides protection against TB. However, the BCG vaccine is not usually offered to people over 35 years of age. This is because there is little evidence that it provides protection for these people.
Before you have a vaccination, you will be given a Mantoux skin test (see Tuberculosis - diagnosis) to check whether you have latent TB. Latent TB is where you have been infected with the TB bacteria but do not have any symptoms. Vaccination is not recommended for people with latent TB because it will have no benefit and could cause unpleasant side effects.
Babies
The BCG vaccination is recommended for all babies up to one year old who:
- are born in areas where the rates of TB are high
- have one or more parents or grandparents who were born in countries with a high rate of TB
Children
The BCG vaccination is also recommended for children under 16 years of age who:
- were not vaccinated against TB as a baby and who have one or more parents or grandparents who were born in countries with a high rate of TB
- have not already been vaccinated and have been in close contact with someone who has pulmonary TB
- have not already been vaccinated and were born in a country with a high rate of TB, or have lived for at least three months in a country with a high rate of TB
At-risk occupations
The BCG vaccination is recommended for people under 35 years of age whose occupation puts them at increased risk of exposure to TB. These people include:
- laboratory staff who are in contact with clinical materials, such as blood, urine and tissue samples
- veterinary staff and other animal workers, such as abattoir workers, who work with animals that are susceptible to TB, such as cattle or monkeys
- prison staff who work directly with prisoners
- staff of care homes for the elderly
- staff of hostels for homeless people
- people who work in facilities for refugees and asylum seekers
- healthcare workers with an increased risk of exposure to TB
See the Health A-Z topic about BCG vaccination - when it is needed for more information about who can and cannot be vaccinated.
