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For Your Health: Tuberculosis
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
Jan Morrow
TB (Tuberculosis) skin testing is available at your local health center. You may come in on Monday or Tuesday for the initial test and then must return for the reading on Wednesday or Thursday. Our registered nurses will always advise you of when to return. The TB skin test should be read between 48 and 72 hours after administration. The cost is $10 per test. Some workplaces require a TB skin test before the employee may begin work.
According to the Center for Disease Control, TB is a disease that is spread through the air from one person to another. When someone who is sick with TB coughs, speaks, laughs, sings or sneezes, people nearby may breathe TB bacteria into their lungs. TB usually attacks the lungs but can also attack other parts of the body, such as the brain, spine or kidneys.
There are two types of TB: 1. Latent TB infection where people do not feel sick, do not have TB symptoms and cannot spread TB bacteria to others 2. People with TB disease can spread the bacteria to others, feel sick and can have symptoms including fever, night sweats, cough and weight loss.
There are two kinds of tests that are used to determine if a person has been infected with TB bacteria: the tuberculin skin test and TB blood tests. The Mantoux tuberculin (TB) skin test is to check if a person has been infected with TB bacteria. This test is a small needle that our nurses inject a liquid called tuberculin into the skin of the lower part of the arm. When injected a small, pale bump will appear.
Then in a couple days, the patient comes back for a reading from our nurses. If the test is negative a form will be given to the patient with the necessary information for employees or employers. If the test is positive the nurse will work with the patient on the next step which could include a physical exam, chest x-ray and other laboratory tests. TB disease is treated by taking several drugs as recommended by a health care provider. The nurse works closely with the patient and their medical provider. Once a patient has a positive TB skin test, a chest x-ray is recommended.
For more information, you may contact any of our registered nurses or the website for the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta www.cdc.gov/tb.