Tuberculosis (TB)

The TB Program:

  • Is responsible for the prevention and control of TB in DuPage County
  • Is statutorily authorized
  • Provides clinical TB services, provider and community education, case management to all active TB cases, contact investigations and immigrant follow-up clearance

TB Clinic

To receive Tuberculin skin testing and QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus IGRA blood testing (QFT) services, you must live, work and/or go to school in DuPage County.

To receive any of the following services you must be a resident of DuPage County:

  • Contact evaluations
  • Evaluation and consultation by experienced physicians (evaluation may include additional lab testing and sputum testing)
  • Referrals for chest x-rays
  • Treatment for active and latent TB

Payment

If applicable, co-payment is due at the time of your visit. We offer several payment options.

Other TB Services

Provide education, guidance and resources for providers and the community on TB surveillance, reporting requirements, infection control practices and treatment guidelines

  • Management of all cases of active TB in DuPage County
  • Perform contact investigations
  • Provide directly observed therapy (DOT) to all cases of active TB in DuPage County
  • Provide immigrant follow-up clearance

For providers, please read our TB Clinic Flyer (PDF).

About TB

Tuberculosis, or TB, is caused by the bacteria (germs) Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is spread through the air from one person to another when someone who is sick with TB disease of the lungs or throat:

  • Coughs
  • Laughs
  • Sings
  • Sneezes
  • Speaks

People near the sick person can breathe TB germs into their lungs.

TB most commonly infects the lungs but can infect any part of the body, including the kidneys, spine and brain.

Latent TB Infection

TB germs can live in the body without making a person sick. This is called latent TB infection. This means only inactive (sleeping) TB germs are in your body. The inactive germs cannot be passed to anyone else and do not cause symptoms.

However, if these germs wake-up or become active in your body and multiply, which can happen when your body's immune system is not working as well, you can get sick with TB disease.

Treatment

Both latent TB infection and TB disease can be treated by taking medicine. If you have TB disease, it is very important that you finish the medicine and take the drugs exactly as you are told.

If you stop taking the drugs too soon, you can become sick again. If you do not take the drugs correctly, the germs that are still alive may become more difficult to treat with those drugs. It takes at least six months and possibly as long as one year to kill all the TB germs.