In this Article

• What is XDR TB?
• How is XDR TB spread?
• Why is XDR TB so serious?
• Who is at risk for getting XDR TB?
• How can I prevent myself from getting TB?
• Can the TB vaccine (BCG) help prevent XDR TB?
• If I have regular (drug-susceptible) TB, how can I prevent getting drug-resistant TB?
• Can XDR TB be treated and cured?
• What are the symptoms of XDR TB?
• What should I do if I have been around someone who has XDR TB?
• How long does it take to find out if you have XDR TB?
• Is XDR TB a problem in the United States?
• How many cases of XDR TB have been reported in the United States?
• Is it safe to travel where cases of XDR TB have been reported?
• What can health care providers do to prevent XDR TB?
• Are immigrants putting the U.S. at increased risk for TB?
• Why haven't we heard about XDR TB before now?
• What is CDC doing to prevent XDR TB from becoming a bigger problem?
• Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR TB) Glossary
• Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR TB) Index

What should I do if I have been around someone who has XDR TB?

If you think you have been exposed to someone with TB disease, you should contact your doctor or local health department about getting a TB skin test or the QuantiFERONŽ-TB Gold test (QFT-G), a blood test. And tell the doctor or nurse when you spent time with this person.

How long does it take to find out if you have XDR TB?

If TB bacteria are found in the sputum (phlegm), the diagnosis of TB can be made in a day or two, but this finding will not be able to distinguish between drug-susceptible (regular) TB and drug-resistant TB. To determine drug susceptibility, the bacteria need to be grown and tested in a laboratory. Final diagnosis for TB, and especially for XDR TB, may take from 6 to 16 weeks.

Is XDR TB a problem in the United States?

The risk of acquiring XDR TB in the United States appears to be relatively low. However, it is important to acknowledge the ease at which TB can spread. As long as XDR TB exists, the United States is at risk and must address the threat.

How many cases of XDR TB have been reported in the United States?

In the United States, 49 cases of XDR TB have been reported between 1993 and 2006.

Is it safe to travel where cases of XDR TB have been reported?

Although MDR and XDR TB are occurring globally, they are still rare. HIV-infected travelers are at greatest risk if they come in contact with a person with MDR or XDR TB.

All travelers should avoid high risk settings where there are no infection control measures in place. Documented places where transmission has occurred include crowded hospitals, prisons, homeless shelters, and other settings where susceptible persons come in contact with persons with TB disease.

Air travel itself carries a relatively low risk of infection with TB of any kind.