Question
Can I avoid getting TB?
28 March 2023. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Opportunistic infections, TB.
What can I do to stop me from getting TB because I am HIV+?
Answer
Hi,
Thanks for your question and it is good that you are taking care of your health.
There are two ways that TB could be a risk and thee will vary depending on where you live and your medical history. For example, this risk from TB is higher if you have a low CD4 count (below 200).
One risk comes from latent TB, which you might have caught as a child but that is not currently active. The risk of latent TB reactivating is much higher in HIV positive compared to HIV negative people.
The other risk is if you haven’t previously had TB and you catch it for the first time now.
Please talk to your doctor about your history and current risks, and whether a short course of antibiotics could protect you against TB now. This is called TB prophylaxis – to prevent an infection.
There is more information about how CD4 counts are related to your risk of getting ill here.
Please let me know if you have any questions, or need any further information.
Further info
TB and HIV coinfection (from the i-Base training manual)
https://i-base.info/ttfa/5-ois-and-coinfections/7-tuberculosis-tb
UK (BHIVA) guidelines on HIV and TB coinfection.
https://www.bhiva.org/TB-guidelines
This question from 2013 was updated in March 2023,
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