![]() It is normal to see a drop of blood at the injection site and this can be gently removed with a piece of gauze. Most people feel nothing or only very slight discomfort during this test. A technician may circle the area to make it clear where the proteins were injected. Then a small amount of the TB proteins (called antigens or purified protein derivative ) is injected under the skin. (2020).A trained health care professional disinfects the area on your inner forearm. Tuberculosis symptoms, causes & risk factors.Tuberculosis (TB): Data and statistics.Treatment for latent TB infection and TB disease.Questions and answers about tuberculosis.Latent tuberculosis infection: An overview. Tuberculosis in kidney transplant recipients: A case series. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. You can also have a blood test at any time. If you receive a negative result, but your symptoms or risk of TB exposure suggest you may have an infection, a doctor can immediately administer a second skin test. You’ve recently received a live-virus measles or smallpox vaccine.Īdditionally, infants can sometimes have false-negative skin test results.You’ve had a TB infection within the past 8 to 10 weeks.A healthcare professional inaccurately interpreted your test results.This means the test results are negative, but you have a TB infection. You can also get a false-negative result. You have an infection with nontuberculous mycobacteria.A healthcare professional incorrectly interpreted your test results.A healthcare professional improperly administered your test.Some countries use the BCG vaccine to reduce a person’s risk for developing TB. ![]() You’ve received the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine.Reasons for a false-positive test include: It’s possible to test positive without having TB. If you’re at low risk of TB exposure but have a positive test, the doctor may recommend additional testing, such as a TB blood test. If your test is positive and you have symptoms or have a high risk of TB exposure, a doctor will likely have you take medication to clear the infection and relieve symptoms. The TB skin test can’t differentiate between active TB disease and latent infection, but symptoms will only appear if you have active TB disease. A 10 mm induration may also be considered positive in children under age 4 or people who use injected drugs.Īn induration of 15 mm or more is considered positive in anyone, even people who don’t think they’ve been exposed to TB. The same is true if you live in a high risk environment such as a nursing home, or work in a high risk setting such as a hospital or medical laboratory. have had recent contact with a person with TBĪ doctor may interpret a 5 mm induration as a positive result if you are taking immunosuppressant medications or previously had TB.Īn induration of at least 10 mm may be considered a positive result if you recently immigrated from a country with a high prevalence of TB.If the induration is at least 5 mm, it is considered positive in people who: ![]() If you have symptoms or know you’ve been exposed to someone with TB, a doctor may recommend you get another test. ![]() work in a hospital, medical laboratory, or other high risk settingĪn induration of less than 5 millimeters (mm) is a negative result.recently immigrated from a country with a high incidence of TB.are taking immunosuppressant medication.have had recent contact with someone with TB.The results of these tests can determine if you should receive treatment and with what type of medication. If your skin test is positive or if you may have a false negative, a doctor may administer a blood TB test. This may occur years after the initial infection.Ī doctor may treat active TB with a combination of medications for about 6 months.Ī blood or skin test can help healthcare professionals diagnose TB. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 10 people with a latent TB infection will develop an active reinfection. If this happens, you may experience symptoms such as:ĭoctors may treat latent TB to prevent future active disease. Latent infection can eventually reactivate as a secondary TB infection. Latent TB means you have an infection but no signs or symptoms. It is caused by an infection of bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb).Įxposure to Mtb can result in either active TB disease or a latent TB infection. TB is a highly contagious disease that primarily affects your lungs and respiratory system.
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