TB guide for household contacts

TB guide for household contacts. Practical steps for people living with someone who has TB.

For: People living with someone who has TB

General guidance across countries. Sources checked 2026-09-26.

Testing, treatment and people at home

Assessment may include a sputum test, chest X-ray or tests for TB infection. These tests answer different questions; a skin or blood test for infection does not alone show active lung disease.

Treatment uses several medicines under supervision. Keep follow-up visits and report side effects rather than stopping on your own. Open windows when safe and follow advice about masks and time away from work. Ask about screening household contacts, especially young children and people with HIV.

Sources

  1. Tuberculosis (TB) · Public sector health information · OGL v3.0

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Read the complete Tuberculosis (TB) topic