Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious illness that mainly affects the lungs. It’s transmitted through the air when a person with active TB disease coughs, speaks, or sings.

One of the most common symptoms of active TB is a cough that won’t go away.

If you’ve had a cough that’s lasted longer than three weeks, visit your health care provider or local public health nursing office and ask to get tested for tuberculosis.

While anyone can get TB, not everyone infected with TB germs becomes sick.

As a result, two TB-related conditions exist: inactive (or latent) TB infection and active TB disease.

What’s the difference between inactive TB and active TB?

People with inactive (latent) TB infection don’t have symptoms and can’t spread the disease to others. Without treatment, people with a latent TB infection can develop active TB disease.

People with active TB disease—which occurs when a person’s immune system can’t stop TB germs from growing and multiplying in their body—often feel sick. They may also be able to spread the germs to others.

Without treatment, active TB disease can be fatal.

What are the signs and symptoms of TB?

In addition to a cough that lasts three weeks or longer, common symptoms include:

• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs)
• Weakness or fatigue
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Chills
• Fever

Who is at higher risk for TB?

Anyone can get TB, but you might have a higher risk if you:

• Were born in or frequently travel to countries where TB is common, including some countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America
• Live or used to live in large group settings where TB is more common, such as homeless shelters, prisons, or jails
• Recently spent time with someone who has active TB disease
• Have a weaker immune system because of certain medications or health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and HIV
• Work in places where TB is more likely to spread, such as hospitals, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, and nursing homes

How do you get tested and/or treated for TB?

Visit your health care provider, a local public health nursing office, or a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) near you, and ask to get tested for tuberculosis.

For both inactive TB infection and active TB disease, your health care provider will discuss which treatment plan is best for you. Typically, this includes a specific regimen of TB medicines to take, how long to take them, and how to monitor yourself for any side effects of the medicine.

See more tuberculosis resources.

Email cdu.treatment@wyo.gov for questions regarding CDU TB Program Patient Assistance including prior authorization and TB medication enrollment requests.

Wyoming Medicaid for TB Assistance

In Wyoming, regulation of healthcare entities does not fall under the WDH CDU TB Program; it falls under the jurisdiction of the WDH Healthcare Licensing and Surveys (WY HLS) Unit. The WDH CDU TB program encourages facilities to review federal (CDC), internal (facility, company), state (WY HLS), and certification (e.g., JCAHO) policies related to TB infection control for healthcare facilities, workers, and residents, and to create an infection control plan in accordance with the most stringent policies that apply to your facility.

• Review and update the facility’s infection control plans routinely to reflect current TB recommendations. 
• Your facility’s infection control plan should include protocols for TB screening/testing for both staff and residents.
• For suspected or confirmed active TB cases, follow your facility’s infection control plan for active TB.

CDC Tuberculosis Risk Assessment for Health Care Facilities. This CDC document is a tool for healthcare facilities to determine appropriate TB screening and testing protocols and to inform the facility’s infection control plan, and is not submitted to the WDH CDU TB Program.

Other Resources

In Wyoming, regulation of childcare facilities falls under the jurisdiction of Wyoming Department of Family Services.

Wyoming Department of Family Services – Childcare Licensing Rules

For information regarding TB protocols for Wyoming corrections staff and inmates, please contact the corrections regulating body for Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Corrections. The WDH TB program encourages facilities to review CDC guidance, internal (facility, company), state, and certification policies related to TB testing of Wyoming corrections staff and inmates and follow the most stringent guidance.

TB and People Living in Correctional Facilities

TB Prevention and Control in Correctional Facilities

To obtain TB Treatment records contact the medical provider who prescribed the TB treatment .

If the medical provider who prescribed the TB treatment is no longer in practice and you received treatment through WDH TB Program Patient Assistance Program follow the process to complete a WDH health records request.

Email cdu.treatment@wyo.gov for access to the TB Education and Training Google Drive.

Sputum Collection

Tuberculosis statistics in Wyoming can now be found on the CDU Webpage under Surveillance Program and Statistics.

CDC Tuberculosis Information for International Travelers

Traveler Advice