Possibility of a TB without cough

[Salem1991]

Is it possible to have TB without having cough .. i have swollen lymph in my neck and a sore throat that lasts for a month now .. i have headaches and fatigue sometimes and few weeks ago i had a mild fever but no fever now but the lymph nodes and the sore throat is still there ... i dont want to go to the hospital and get tested for TB since it causes deporation where i live but am afraid i may infect other people around me .. i dont have cough thats the only significant part .. thank you all

[Salem1991]

Hello .. i tested for mono , Hiv & syphilis at 7 weeks , HBV , HCV  .. did a CBC and couple of other blood tests and all came back normal .. my lymp node are still swollen till now and they change in size during the day .. generally i feel better since i posted but not fully recovered.. i still feel somethong wrong with me .. my doctor said its not worth worrying about it .. but the medical care where i live is highly questionable ..

[mkh9]

Hi, Well since you had no other symptoms like rash, coughing or nasal issues, it could have been a strep throat but not a serious one. So it sounds like you are recovering well. It will take some time for the lymph nodes to go down.  Your fever was 100. Usually 101 or more. It could be a streptococcus bacteria that needs antibiotics or you could very ill. So if that ever happens get the doctor to test you for strep throat or get antibiotics for it. Otherwise, this time I think you are okay.
mkh9
mkh9

[mkh9]

Hi and sorry I haven't seen your message for some reason sooner. You could have had mononucleosis. How are you feeling now? How old are you? Yes it is possible to carry TB and not have a cough but you usually don't have a sore throat and swollen lymph nodes.  It could be a strep throat too but I think the fever would be higher. Mono lasts about a month and the lymph nodes remain swollen for about 2 months. You can get tested for that if you are young. Older adults usually have already been exposed to it. So if you want to get tested for mono you can get a test that has early antigen , nuclear antigen (for mono) and so forth. It is called a Ebstein Barr antibody test. A complete blood count and liver enzyme test is good if it is positive too. Don't get the mono spot test it is worthless as it is not accurate. I don't think you have TB but if you end up getting rusty color sputum or a cough then get tested some way. But, you are probably fine for this. Another thing is getting an Xray. That could tell if there is some there. But it doesn't mean you have active TB if you had a sign on the Xray. But then they may want to get some further tests if you did that. But from what you told me your symptoms sound viral. So if you are positive for mono, which is caused by Epstein Barr virus, then don't let anyone drink or eat after you such as use your glass or fork etc. and don't kiss anyone on the mouth for a couple of months. If you have any other questions let me know.
Regards,
mkh9