TB myths
I had the TB vaccine so I can’t get infected with TB
The TB vaccine protects against childhood TB. It does not protect you as an adult because the effectiveness of the vaccine decreases over time.
I have had TB before, so I can’t get it again
TB is caused by bacteria, you will not be immune to the disease if you had it before, so yes you can get reinfected with TB.
Everyone with TB is infectious
A person can only pass on TB when it is in the lungs or throat. Generally, people with TB stop being infectious around 2–3 weeks after taking their treatment as they were told to do by the TB team.
TB is genetic
Although people used to believe that TB is passed from parent to child, this is a myth. This may be because people living in the same household spend a lot of time together and share the same air and got infected that way, not because it is inherited.
There is no cure for TB
TB is curable, treatment usually lasts about six months. You must take your treatment as advised by the TB team, if you stop taking your TB treatment the TB will come back.
There is no TB in England
TB can affect people anywhere in the world. There are certain areas of England such as Coventry where TB is more common than other areas of the country.