### instruction:
If you are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description.

### input:
how would i know if my tuberculosis is active or it s just a scar..i had a recent xray showing i had tuberculosis for the last six mos (as compared to my last xray 10-10-13).. result showed no changes PTB, both lungs.. my doctor did not even told me about it.. i had my annual pe and it showed that i had tuberculosis, they ask me to prompt for a second opinion.. and that s the result.. it showed no changes on my PTB noth lungs.. im just wondering maybe the reason my doctor did not tell me about it, it s just a scar.. please help.. im worried that i might loose my job.. will i? if i have tuberculosis?

### output:

Hello, Pulmonary Tuberculosis is active "open" if your sputum contains the Acid Fast Bacilli(AFB) the causative organism. The test is to examine the early morning sample of sputum for AFB for 3 consecutive days. If there is no sputum, then a morning gastric lavage is examined. An AFB smear may be done in conjunction with a molecular test for TB termed nucleic acid amplification test (NEAT). Both Smear and NEAT are negative then probably the lesion is inactive. Certain countries insist on sputum culture ff the samples are negative. It takes about 6 to 8 weeks to know the result. In addition, indirect tests like a high ESR, a strongly positive Manta (PPD) test are indirect evidence for an active disease. Rules vary from country to country. In Kuwait, you would lose your job if found active. If not active you will be allowed to work with periodical surveillance for activity. I am available to answer further queries if any.