Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
429700 tn?1308007823

Fellow MS'ers with latent TB?

The other post from someone concerning TB jarred my memory.  I'm not sure that anyone has answers for me, but I thought it was worth a shot . . .

I've just been diagnosed with MS at the beginning of this month and will be starting Copaxone.    About 25 years ago I had a TB test to get a food handling permit from the County Health Department (Mantoux and tine test) and discovered that I reacted to both.  I told my doctor what had happened and he told me that I was once exposed to TB but I don't actually have the active form of the disease.

I didn't get a chance to ask my doctor yet, in the flurry of getting a diagnosis, choosing a medicine, and treating the relentless tremors I've been having.  I did tell him at the initial visit of the TB predicament.  He had me get a CAT scan of my chest (which showed no disease).  

I'm not even sure if I should be concerned or not.  So, I have a couple of questions:  Should I be concerned, especially when I begin to take Copaxone that the disease will become active?

Has anyone else reacted to the TB test and take medicines for MS?

When I see my doctor again in April, I will for sure bring this issue up again, but I'm not sure if I should call his office before I start the Copaxone.

Deb



7 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
398059 tn?1447945633
Positive thinking: merely a flesh wound
Helpful - 0
429700 tn?1308007823
Thanks for the information.  I'm really liking this forum.  

Deb
Helpful - 0
338416 tn?1420045702
I was exposed to TB as a child, and took medications to remove the bacteria from my system.  I still carry antibodies for it, but as far as I know, I have no bacteria hanging around that could cause a reinfection.

This is what Wikipedia says about reactivation...

"The risk of reactivation increases with immunosuppression, such as that caused by infection with HIV. In patients co-infected with M. tuberculosis and HIV, the risk of reactivation increases to 10% per year.

Other conditions that increase risk include drug injection, mainly due to the lifestyle of IV drug users; recent TB infection or a history of inadequately treated TB; chest X-ray suggestive of previous TB, showing fibrotic lesions and nodules; diabetes mellitus; silicosis; prolonged corticosteroid therapy and other immunosuppressive therapy; head and neck cancers; hematologic and reticuloendothelial diseases, such as leukemia and Hodgkin's disease; end-stage kidney disease; intestinal bypass or gastrectomy; chronic malabsorption syndromes; or low body weight."

So I wouldn't worry about it unless your immune system is being attacked.
Helpful - 0
231441 tn?1333892766
Hi Deb,

I am taking antibiotics for TB (6 month course).  I have had no side effects.  

Initially they monitored my liver function, which was fine.  Am also supposed to severely restrict alcohol consumption while on these drugs.

So no biggie for the TB meds.

Sally
Helpful - 0
429700 tn?1308007823
Quix:  I see that you're a doctor--this is wonderful!  Thank you--I can breath a sigh of relief!  I've been anxious anyway because of starting Copaxone and getting a diagnosis.  This is one less thing to worry about.

I'll be sure to remind my doctor about my positive TB tests in the past.

BTW, I love the way you described your mood on your profile--  "Can't be trusted with kitchen implements."  That is very funny and describes my mood to a tee!  I got a good chuckle out of that!

Thanks, Sally.  That information does help.  I'm glad to know there's someone else out there that has had a similar experience (not that I'm happy about your MS-like symptoms or TB).  If I have to start medicine, I'm wondering about the side effects.  Are the antibiotics causing any side effects for you?  

I know what it's like to have daunting symptoms and not know what's wrong.  It was a long and winding road for me, because I have more than one autoimmune disease and many of my symptoms fit other categories.  But finally, in the end, my very competent doctor put all the puzzle pieces together and figured it all out.  Best wishes to you, too with finding some answers.

Deb
Helpful - 0
231441 tn?1333892766
Hi,

I am being treated for latent TB.  I'll be finished in another month.  However, the dr told me I will always have antibodies, regardless.  However, having antibodies doesn't mean that I necessarily even have latent TB, just that I have been exposed to TB in the past.

Anyway, I was tested for TB when they were looking for possible causes of my symptoms.  Although my skin test was very positive, they didn't find any evidence of active disease from the chest x-rays.

I haven't noticed any change in my symptoms with the TB treatment.  I guess it is probably not relevant, but just an incidental finding.  Also, I haven't been diagnosed with MS.

I recommend you don't worry too much about the 'latent' tb, unless you started to have symptoms that could be related (not likely).

Hope this helps.  

Sally
Helpful - 0
147426 tn?1317265632
Hi, No, Copaxone does NOT cause immunesuppression.  None of the CRAB drugs do.  That is a widely spread myth.  They do modulate a certain portion of the immune system, but they do not make one more susceptible at all to infections, reinfections, opportunistic infections, or reactivation of latent infections!!

Your neuro, and all your Dr.s should know of this part of your medical history, just because it is generally important.

If your were to need the next level up of MS meds, like Novantrone, then absolutely the latent TB could be a factor.

Hope this helps.

Quix
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Multiple Sclerosis Community

Top Neurology Answerers
987762 tn?1671273328
Australia
5265383 tn?1669040108
ON
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
1780921 tn?1499301793
Queen Creek, AZ
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease