Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that most often affects the lungs. It spreads through the air when someone with lung TB coughs, sneezes or speaks, and it is curable with a full course of treatment.
Overview
TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It usually attacks the lungs, but it can also affect the lymph nodes, spine, brain, abdomen and other organs.
Many people who are infected never become ill. The bacteria stay inactive in the body — this is called latent TB, and it is not infectious. In some people it becomes active later, particularly if their immunity drops.
India carries a large share of the world's TB cases. Testing and treatment are free at government facilities under the National TB Elimination Programme.
TB is curable. The single most important factor is completing the entire course of medicine, even after you start feeling well.
Symptoms of Tuberculosis (TB)
- A cough lasting more than two weeks
- Coughing up blood or blood-stained sputum
- Chest pain, or pain while breathing or coughing
- Fever, often rising in the evening
- Night sweats
- Losing weight without trying
- Loss of appetite
- Persistent tiredness and weakness
- TB outside the lungs causes different symptoms depending on the organ — for example a painless neck swelling, or long-standing back pain
What causes it
- Infection with the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Spread through the air when a person with active lung TB coughs, sneezes, speaks or sings
- It does not spread by sharing food, shaking hands, or touching surfaces
Who is at higher risk
- Living or working closely with someone who has active TB
- HIV infection, or any condition or medicine that lowers immunity
- Diabetes
- Undernutrition
- Smoking, and heavy alcohol use
- Crowded or poorly ventilated living conditions
- Silicosis and other occupational lung diseases
Tests and diagnosis
These are the tests doctors commonly use. Which ones you need depends on your symptoms.
- Sputum examination — you cough up phlegm, which is tested for the bacteria
- Rapid molecular tests such as CBNAAT or TrueNat, which confirm TB within hours and also detect resistance to rifampicin
- Chest X-ray
- Culture and drug-sensitivity testing, which shows exactly which medicines will work
- For TB outside the lungs, a sample or biopsy from the affected site
- All of these are available free at government health facilities.
Treatment
- A combination of anti-TB medicines taken for at least six months. Several medicines are used together because the bacteria develop resistance if only one is used.
- Treatment is free under India's National TB Elimination Programme, and includes follow-up and monitoring.
- People usually start feeling better within a few weeks — but stopping then is the main reason TB becomes drug-resistant. Complete the full course.
- Drug-resistant TB needs a different, longer treatment under specialist supervision.
- Nutritional support is provided through the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana, which offers direct financial assistance to people on TB treatment.
Prevention
- Get a sputum test if you have a cough lasting more than two weeks — early diagnosis stops onward spread
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and dispose of tissues safely
- Keep rooms well ventilated and let sunlight in
- BCG vaccination at birth, which protects infants against severe forms of TB
- Household contacts of a TB patient should be screened and may be offered preventive treatment
- Manage diabetes, nutrition and HIV well, as these affect TB risk
When should you see a doctor?
See a doctor if you have a cough for more than two weeks, especially with evening fever, night sweats or weight loss. Go immediately if you cough up blood. Testing and treatment are free at any government health facility — you do not need to wait or pay for a private consultation first.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a cough have to last before I should test for TB?
More than two weeks. A cough lasting longer than that — particularly with evening fever, night sweats or weight loss — should be evaluated with a sputum test, which is free at government facilities.
Is TB treatment really free in India?
Yes. Diagnosis, medicines and follow-up are provided free under the National TB Elimination Programme at government health facilities. People on treatment also receive nutritional support through the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana.
Can TB be completely cured?
Yes. TB is curable when the full course of medicine is completed. Stopping treatment early is the main reason it returns in a drug-resistant form that is much harder to treat.
Is a person with TB infectious to their family?
Someone with active lung TB can spread it through the air before treatment and in the first weeks of it. Infectiousness drops sharply once effective treatment begins. Household contacts should be screened, and good ventilation helps considerably.
Questions to ask your doctor about Tuberculosis (TB)
Pick the three that matter most to you and write them down before your appointment. Consultations are short, and almost everyone forgets at least one.
- Which type of TB is it, and is it drug-resistant?
- How long is my full course, and what happens if I miss doses?
- Am I infectious, and for how long?
- Should my family be tested?
- What side effects of the medicines should I report?
- How do I register for the free treatment and nutrition support?
What this costs, and what is free
Free under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
Any government health facility — including sputum testing, rapid molecular tests, chest X-ray, all anti-TB medicines and follow-up.
People on TB treatment also receive direct financial support for nutrition through the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana.
Private testing and treatment can cost a substantial amount over the six-month course. There is no medical advantage to paying for it — the government programme uses the same internationally recommended medicines and monitors you throughout.
Source: National TB Elimination Programme, Government of India
Prices and scheme rules change. Confirm current details with the hospital or Kendra before you rely on them.