Diagnosis

-If a person is infected with TB bacteria, other tests are needed to see if the person has TB disease.

-TB disease can be diagnosed by medical history, physical examination, chest x-ray, and other laboratory tests. 

-If a person doesn't have TB disease but they still have TB bacteria in their body, then they have latent TB infection.  Decisions pertaining to treatment for latent TB infection are based on the person’s chances of developing TB disease from the TB bacteria.