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TB Basics

  1. TB is treatable.
  2. There are two kinds of TB:
    1. Latent
      1. Asymptomatic and not contagious
      2. Needs treatment to prevent progression to active disease.*
    2. Active
      1. Symptomatic and potentially contagious
      2. Treatment for a minimum of six months. 

*This is why the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) would like to find out if anyone has been infected with TB, so that they can receive treatment with TB antibiotics. This treatment will prevent them from developing active TB disease.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • DPH works closely with school officials to identify students and staff who may have been exposed to the person with active TB disease.
  • People identified as contacts are offered TB testing and follow-up in accordance with current public health guidelines.
  • Testing may be expanded to others if needed.

  • People with TB disease in the lung or throat can spread the TB bacteria through the air when they cough, sneeze, speak, or sing. These bacteria can stay in the air for several hours, depending on the environment. Persons who have prolonged contact with an infected person and who breathes in the air containing the TB bacteria can become infected.
  • It’s important to find people who could have been infected by a person with active TB so that they can receive treatment soon, keeping them from developing active TB disease.
  • TB disease can be a very serious illness causing cough, fevers, weight loss and other complications.
  • Some people with TB disease may need to be hospitalized; without treatment, it could even cause death.

  • If you are identified as potentially having been exposed, you will receive a notification from DPH recommending testing. Minors will receive a permission slip for testing.
  • Students and staff will be able to continue regular school activities.

Because of privacy laws, we cannot share specific information about the person with TB. The confidentiality of all people involved in the investigation is always protected.

  • People with TB disease in the lungs are most contagious when they have symptoms.
  • During the latent phase, TB is not contagious, but left untreated it can develop into active, contagious TB. 

  • People with active TB disease are usually isolated.
  • After treatment has begun, a person becomes non-infectious within several days.

  • The person is treated with multiple TB antibiotics, usually for six to nine months, and almost all people with active TB disease recover.
  • It is important to know that TB is treatable and responds best when treated early. 

  • Compared to TB rates in the United States, South Carolina has a low rate of TB disease, but we must be vigilant and take every case seriously.
  • South Carolina reported 83 cases of TB in 2024.
  • Contact investigations associated with schools, on average, occur every two to three years.

  • TB disease doesn’t spread very easily from person to person. It takes prolonged contact with the person who is sick with active TB disease for the infection to spread.
  • DPH carefully investigates the length of time that people were in contact with the ill person and the location where exposure could have occurred.
  • Testing is limited to people who were possibly exposed first and can be expanded as indicated by those results.