Understanding Tuberculosis - Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms?

You will generally have no symptoms if you are infected with TB -- unless you have active TB disease. In fact, you may not even be aware that you have a latent TB infection until it's revealed through a skin test, perhaps during a routine checkup.

But if you have active TB disease, you may have these symptoms:

• Overall sensation of feeling unwell.
• Cough, at first with yellow or green mucus, possibly with bloody mucus later in the disease.
• Fatigue.
• Shortness of breath.
• Weight loss.
• Slight fever.
• Night sweats.
• Pain in the chest, back, or kidneys; or perhaps all three.

Call Your Doctor If:

• You have any of the symptoms of active TB disease, especially if you live in crowded conditions, are malnourished, or have HIV.
• You have been exposed to someone with active tuberculosis.

Virtually all of the symptoms of tuberculosis can be confused with symptoms of other diseases. Bloody mucus, for example, can also be a symptom of pneumonia. An evaluation by your doctor is key to confirming whether you have latent TB infection, active TB disease, or some other condition.

• What’s it like to be diagnosed with tuberculosis? Read one woman’s story.