health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that certain
people at risk for getting tuberculosis get the skin test yearly so that treatment
can begin immediately if they are found to have TB. These include:

• People who have spent a lot of time with other people who are
  infected with TB
• People who think they may have caught the disease for other reasons
• People who have HIV infection or other medical problems that put
  them at high risk for getting tuberculosis
• People who inject street drugs
• People who come to the United States from countries where tuberculosis
  is more common (most countries in Latin America and the
  Caribbean, Africa, and all of Asia except for Japan)
• People who live in the United States in environments in which
  tuberculosis is common (homeless shelters, migrant farm camps,
  prisons, and some nursing homes)

People who have tuberculosis can keep from spreading the infection
by taking all their medication exactly as prescribed; visiting their doctors
regularly; staying away from people until they are no longer infectious to
others; covering their mouths with a tissue when they cough, sneeze, or
laugh; and airing out the room often.
Tuberculosis bacteria can only be spread through the air. Other people
cannot be infected by shaking hands, sitting on toilet seats, or sharing
dishes or personal items with people who have tuberculosis. If close
contact with someone who has TB is necessary, a special type of facemask
(called a respirator) should be worn.
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is a vaccine* that can help protect
people against tuberculosis infection. It does not always work and may
cause a positive reaction to the tuberculosis skin test, making it harder to
tell if people become infected despite the vaccine. BCG is not widely used
in the United States, but it often is given to babies and young children in
countries where tuberculosis is common.