People with TB disease can spread the bacteria to others, feel sick, and can have symptoms including fever, night sweats, cough, and weight loss. Some people with latent TB infection go on to develop TB disease. People with latent TB infection do not feel sick, do not have TB symptoms, and cannot spread TB bacteria to others.
TB bacteria can live in the body without making a person sick. TB usually attacks the lungs, but can also attack other parts of the body, such as the brain, spine, or kidneys. When someone who is sick with TB coughs, speaks, laughs, sings, or sneezes, people nearby may breathe TB bacteria into their lungs. Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that is spread through the air from one person to another.
