Tuberculosis Facts & Worksheets

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is commonly spread from person to person through the air.

See the fact file below for more information on Tuberculosis, or you can download our 26-page Tuberculosis worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

DEFINITION

• A dangerous bacterial infection, tuberculosis (TB), is contagious. Although it typically starts in the lungs, it can extend to other body regions. Through the air, TB can spread to other people. People close can breathe in the bacterium when a person with TB coughs or exhales.
• A bacteria which causes tuberculosis is known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which transfers from person to person by releasing microscopic droplets into the air during coughs and sneezes. 
• It is said that human tuberculosis dates back 9,000 years ago in Atlit Yam, an Israeli coastal city that is currently submerged in the Mediterranean Sea. 
• Archaeologists discovered tuberculosis in the remains of a mother and kid who were interred together. The first written accounts of tuberculosis date from 3,300 years ago in China and India (2,300 years ago).

CAUSE OF TUBERCULOSIS

• The bacteria that cause tuberculosis are transmitted from person to person by way of minute droplets that are released into the atmosphere. 
• A person with the active and untreated form of tuberculosis may infect someone by coughing, speaking, sneezing, spitting, laughing, or singing.
• Despite being contagious, tuberculosis is difficult to contract. In comparison to a stranger, a close friend or a family member is considerably more likely to infect someone with tuberculosis. 
• After receiving effective antibiotic treatment for at least two weeks, the majority of people with active tuberculosis are no longer contagious.

ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS

• Active tuberculosis is a condition where TB germs spread quickly throughout the body and infect several organs. A cough, phlegm, chest pain, weakness, weight loss, fever, chills, and night sweats are a few of the common symptoms of active TB. 
• A person with active pulmonary TB may transmit the disease to others by coughing up infected particles that travel through the air.

LATENT TUBERCULOSIS

• The person with latent Tuberculosis carries the bacterium but shows no symptoms at all.
• This is so that immunity can combat the infection and, to a certain extent, suppress it. Latent tuberculosis patients are unable to spread the disease to others. 
• However, the bacteria may reawaken at some time in their lives, turning the infection into active tuberculosis.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

• The location of the Tuberculosis germs in the body affects the symptoms of TB disease. The TB germs sometimes referred to as pulmonary TB, typically develop in the lungs. 
• Chest pain, a persistent severe cough lasting three weeks or longer, and coughing up blood or mucus from the lungs are all signs of TB illness in the lungs.
• Less frequently, TB infections spread to organs other than the lungs, such as the brain and nerves, bones and joints, the digestive system, the bladder, the reproductive system, and the tiny glands that are a part of the immune system. 
• Consistently swollen glands, stomach pain, discomfort and lack of motion in an affected bone or joint, confusion, a chronic headache, and even seizures are some of the symptoms.
• On the other hand, latent tuberculosis patients have no symptoms and cannot transmit the TB virus to others.
• The person would transition from having Latent TB Infection (LTBI) to having TB if latent TB germs were active and multiplied within the body. 
• People with LTBI should be treated in order to prevent them from contracting TB illness for this reason.

TREATMENTS

• When a patient with tuberculosis experiences a fever, unexplained weight loss, intense night sweats, or a chronic cough, they should visit their doctor. 
• These are frequent signs of tuberculosis, but they can also be caused by other illnesses. Additionally, if an individual believes that they have been exposed to tuberculosis, they should consult a doctor.
• A doctor or nurse will perform additional tests to determine whether a person has a TB disease if they respond favorably to the TB blood test or TB skin test.
• A chest x-ray is frequently part of these tests. In addition, they might test the sputum the patient coughs up. A doctor or nurse may also check the patient’s urine, take tissue samples, or perform additional tests because tuberculosis germs can be found in places other than a person’s lungs.
• A positive skin test or blood test indicates that a patient may have come into contact with someone with tuberculosis. 
• This test, however, cannot determine if you have a latent or active TB infection. If a patient is found to have latent tuberculosis and is at a high risk of getting active TB, their doctor may advise drug treatment.
• On the other hand, patients must take antibiotics for at least six to nine months if they have active tuberculosis. 
• The precise medications and duration of treatment depend on the patient’s age, general health, any potential for drug resistance, and the location of the infection in their body.

PREVENTION

• Healthy individuals can frequently fight off the virus. Although the germs are dormant in their lungs, they often do not develop active tuberculosis. 
• Active TB may develop if a person’s body is unable to control the illness and the germs continue to multiply. This may occur several years after the initial infection. It typically occurs when a person’s immune system is compromised by something.
• Finding and treating TB patients effectively will help stop the disease’s spread by preventing them from infecting others. Raising awareness of TB will enable those with symptoms to seek medical attention.
• Volunteers and outreach workers also search high-TB-incidence areas for individuals exhibiting symptoms so they can be sent for testing. Contact tracing is the process of screening a person’s immediate family and friends for the disease after receiving an infectious TB diagnosis.
• As TB can linger in the air for several hours without ventilation, the risk of infection can be decreased by taking a few easy precautions and providing enough ventilation. 
• UV light kills TB bacteria; therefore, natural light may also be beneficial. Another is maintaining proper hygiene; when coughing or sneezing, covering the mouth and nose prevents the spread of the TB bacteria. 
• By using protective masks, and ventilation systems, separating possibly contagious patients from other patients, and routinely screening healthcare staff for TB, healthcare facilities can lessen the spread of TB.

Tuberculosis Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Tuberculosis across 26 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Tuberculosis, a contagious bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs and is spread through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

• Tuberculosis Facts
• Myth Buster
• The Cause
• Beware of the Signs!
• General Signs
• Who Can Be Affected?
• Latent TB
• TB Treatment
• Protect Yourself!
• World Tuberculosis Day
• Health is Wealth

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cause of tuberculosis?

The bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis (TB). The bacterium primarily affects the lungs but can also spread to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, kidneys, bones, and brain.

How is tuberculosis transmitted?

TB is spread from person to person through the air. When an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or spits, droplets containing the bacterium are released into the air and can be inhaled by others.

What are the symptoms of tuberculosis?

The symptoms of TB can vary depending on the part of the body affected, but common symptoms include the following:

• Persistent cough that lasts for three weeks or longer
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Night sweats
• Chills
• Loss of appetite and weight loss
• Fever

How is tuberculosis diagnosed?

Diagnosis of TB is based on a combination of clinical symptoms, chest X-rays, skin tests, and laboratory tests that identify the presence of the TB bacterium in the body. In some cases, a sample of mucus from the lungs may also be taken and examined for the bacterium.

How is tuberculosis treated?

Treatment for TB usually involves a combination of antibiotics taken over several months. The specific drugs and duration of treatment depend on the individual case and the type of TB bacterium involved. It’s vital to finish the entire course of antibiotics, even if the symptoms improve, to prevent the development of drug-resistant strains of the bacterium. In some cases, surgery may also be required to remove infected tissue.

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