Gannett Health Services
Ho Plaza
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-3101
Tel: 607 255-5155
Email: gannett@cornell.edu
Many people think that Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease of the past – an illness that no longer threatens us today. However, with one third of the world’s population estimated to be infected with the bacteria that causes TB, and more than 8 million TB disease cases every year, TB is very much with us today. Among infectious diseases, TB remains the leading killer in the world, with about 2-3 million TB-related deaths each year or more than 5000 deaths every day.
TB bacteria are spread through the air from one person to another when a person with active TB disease contaminates the air when they cough, laugh, talk, or sing. The infectious particles spread easily in close quarters and in poorly-ventilated spaces. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and develop TB infection and disease. Many people who have TB infection never develop the TB disease. But the bacteria can become active and cause TB disease over time, becoming active decades after initial infection.
Once infected, given a healthy immune system, there is 10% chance of developing active TB disease during one’s life before the age of 65. Any condition that weakens the immune system will increase the chance of activating TB. Simply getting older is a major cause of TB activation, as well as common cancers, low body weight, or HIV infection.
Cornell University has the responsibility to protect its population from many contagious diseases. Active TB disease does appear in this population on a regular basis. The Tompkins County Health Department assists Gannett Health Services with evaluating and treating TB infection and disease. One case of active disease can infect dozens of people in this close-knit community.
TB testing is done using the Mantoux method in which a small amount of protein derived from TB bacillus is placed just under the skin surface. Two or three days later a trained person measures any resulting reaction. You cannot get TB from the test, and it is safe for those who are pregnant, breast-feeding, HIV-positive or undergoing chemotherapy. Those with a positive reaction need to have a chest x-ray to determine if they have active TB disease.
TB testing is recommended for all incoming students and mandatory for international students. International students (not including students from Canada) must be tested at Gannett Health Services after arrival at Cornell. Call 607 255-5155 to schedule an appointment.
Many people had the “BCG vaccine” when they were young and were told it would protect them from TB. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. If the vaccine were effective, TB would not be the problem it is today. The fact that TB is spreading rapidly throughout the world, especially in those countries that depend on the BCG vaccine, is proof that BCG does not protect against getting infected or developing TB disease. Most people who were vaccinated with BCG as children do not have any skin test reaction after the age of 10. A positive reaction to a skin test in someone who has had a BCG vaccination is considered serious medical evidence that a person is likely infected with TB.
Efforts in the United States to control TB have been very successful. This is due to aggressive efforts to treat everyone who develops active disease and encourage as many people as possible to cure their underlying latent TB infection. For every 15 people who finish treatment, we prevent one case of TB disease. It is much easier and safer to treat the latent TB infection. For most people, the course of medicine is tolerated easily. The benefit is the elimination of the TB bacteria from your body, significantly reducing your own risk of disease for the rest of your life, and reducing the spread of TB in the community.
Please call Gannett (607) 255-5155 and ask to speak with a nurse.
You may also find it helpful to read more about TB:
New York State Department of Health TB Fact Sheet
United States CDC Frequently Asked Questions About TB
Print our Fact Sheet (pdf) on this topic.
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