Can I get infected with TB from my girlfriend?

Q: My 21 years old girlfriend is undergoing treatment for TB. I kissed her and slept with her 24 days after her treatment for TB started. Can I get infected with TB from my girlfriend? Please clarify my doubt.

A:Whether you can catch TB infection from your girl friend depends on whether her lungs are involved and if she is an open case i.e. she was shedding TB bacilli in her sputum. Usually, an open case becomes non-infectious for close contacts within 2-4 weeks of treatment.Closed cases are non-infectious. Your risk of infection is quite low, but if you are worried, check your risk with the doctor treating your friend.