Q: If a man is infected by tuberculosis and is under good supervision by qualified doctors. They say that he is cured and can stop the medicines. In this situation can the other person be infected who is living in his close proximity?

A:If a patient is successfully treated, he stops expectorating Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum within 3 months. On completion of treatment he will not transmit the bacteria at all. The persons living in close contact with him are therefore not likely to get infected at this stage. Several studies including one from our laboratory have shown that in endemic areas like India adult tuberculosis is due to reactivation of the bacteria lying in the body. Reinfection is rare.