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What to Ask Before Getting a TB Test

TB, or tuberculosis, is an easily spreadable, oftentimes deadly infection. This is why clinicians must monitor it closely to ensure that it does not covertly start spreading, as it can affect millions of people relatively quickly. Fortunately, the Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST) can easily test for this bacterium, quickly diagnosing and treating those with the bacterium before it spreads throughout society.

  1. Ask Why It's Necessary

    • Many employers, especially those in the health, government and education sectors, require all employees to undergo a TB test to ensure that they are not infected with M. tuberculosis, which is also known as tubercle bacilli. According to the Center for Disease Control, TB is a deadly virus that can infect the lungs, along with many other organs and systems, including the central nervous, circulatory and lymphatic systems, as well as bones, joints and even the skin. It is necessary to test for this disease because it can be easily spread, especially among school children or workers who interact with large populations every day. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, TB kills about three million people a year worldwide.

    Ask What Will Happen During the Test

    • It's common to be nervous before a medical test, especially one that may involve needles. Therefore, ask your doctor or laboratory technician to walk you through the process in order to calm your nerves. While every clinical tester may vary slightly in the ways in which they conduct a TB skin test, this is generally how it goes:

      The clinician will ask you to roll up your sleeve and hold out your arm, with your wrist facing up. She will swab the area beforehand to ensure that it's clean, before injecting 0.1 milligrams of the tuberculin purified protein derivative, commonly called PPD, under the skin. The skin directly around the injection site tends to raise slightly, and may appear white or red in color. Don't be alarmed, as these are normal reactions to the PPD injection. The patient must return to the facility 48 to 72 hours later to have their test site examined. The laboratory specialist will measure the size and diameter of the site to determine whether further testing is needed.

    Ask What to Do With a Positive Reading

    • Most people who undergo tests for specific diseases such as TB have one question in common: What if it's positive? A positive TB reading from a skin test requires further evaluation by a medical professional. Normally, a chest x-ray or AFB culture, which is a phlegm sample, is required. Note that some people, including those from foreign countries who may have been vaccinated with the BCG, or bacille Calmette-Guérin, vaccine, may receive a false-positive reading during a TB skin test, and may require further testing. If you receive a positive TB skin test and your chest x-ray or AFB culture determines that the bacteria is present, you will need to start a rigorous course of antibiotics for up to one year. According to the CDC, there are four antibiotics that are commonly used in a TB treatment regimen. They include ethambutol, isoniazid, rifampin and pyrazinamide. As with all antibiotics, it is imperative that a person infected with TB finish all their pills, regardless of whether they feel fine or not.

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