Tuberculosis – TB

When you have tuberculosis in your lungs, it is common to cough up phlegm. You are usually sick for more than three weeks.  

You may also have these symptoms: 

• You feel weak. 
• You feel tired. 
• You have a fever. 
• You sweat at night. 

Some children become seriously ill 

Children up to school age can become seriously ill from tuberculosis. They get a fever and feel weak. 

Children between the ages of about six and twelve usually do not get very sick. They rarely have a cough. Their symptoms are often a fever for several weeks, and feeling tired and out of sorts.  

From adolescence onwards, children can get as sick as adults, but often recover quickly with treatment. 

Contact a healthcare provider if you think your child has tuberculosis. You should also contact a healthcare provider if your child is under six years of age and has been in contact with someone with TB. You should do this even if your child is not sick.  

You can contact one of these clinics:  

• A healthcare centre (vårdcentral).  
• A paediatric clinic (barnläkarmottagning).   

Call for advice 

Call 1177 for help on what to do. Your call will be answered by a nurse. If needed, they can tell you where to go for treatment. 

The nurse can speak both Swedish and English.  

Get help from an interpreter 

You can get help from an interpreter if you do not speak Swedish.  Let the clinic know you need an interpreter when you book your appointment. 

Call 0046 771-11 77 00 if your phone does not have a Swedish subscription or SIM card, or if you are calling from another country. 

Tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium that can be spread between people. When someone with tuberculosis in their lungs sneezes, coughs or spits, the bacteria can get into the air. When you breathe in that air, you can become infected. 

It may take a long time before you get sick. 

Tuberculosis is most often spread to people who have close contact with someone who has infectious TB. The bacteria are spread mainly within the family and others with whom the sick person lives. Children get sick more easily than adults, but do not infect others. Children up to school age are usually not infectious. 

There is good treatment for tuberculosis. 

You will be treated with one or more medicines. It takes a long time to treat tuberculosis, often several months. 

There is a vaccine against tuberculosis. Ask about it at a healthcare centre.