Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms of TB include:

• New or worsening cough that lasts for more than 3 weeks or keeps getting worse
• Night sweats
• Feeling of tiredness or weakness
• Chills
• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained weight loss
• Chest pain
• Fever
• Others (based on where TB bacteria are located in the body)

If a person has symptoms, they should contact their health-care provider immediately.

Several tests are required to determine if TB bacteria are present in the body and if it is active or inactive. These tests may include a tuberculin skin test, a chest x-ray and sputum tests.