Contracted TB from my nonclinical job- now what?!

Nurses General Nursing

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I work a strictly nonclinical position with an MCO. My job duties include going to members homes to visit with them to coordinate various services they need.

Long story short, there was a TB outbreak at a local adult daycare many of our members attend. We were asked if we wanted a TB test and I said I did. My test came back positive as did my secondary.

My medical visits have been covered by Workman's Comp as have my medications. But I am frightened for the future and unknown. I have two small children, one I was still nursing when I contracted the virus. I am afraid of the stigma and future health problems I may develop. Not to mention all this preexisting condition talk recently.

My employer did not have me have any type of baseline testing or show proof of recent testing. I had no preemployment physical, not even a drug test.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I should do?

Specializes in Critical care.

I'm guessing you are not a nurse, since TB is a bacteria and not a virus.

I'm sorry you are going through this. This is really something you need to talk over with your doctor and your children's pediatrician. The county health department might also have resources and information available to you. If your employer offers EAP (employee assistance program) this might be a good time to use it and find somebody to talk to to work through your fears.

Good luck!

Well, first off, don't panic -- a positive Mantoux test doesn't mean you've contracted TB, it just means you have been exposed to the bacterium, which is common. Plenty of public health experts estimate that everyone who lives in a US city has been exposed to TB at some point. TB is an opportunistic infection. If you are in reasonably good health, aren't malnourished or immunocompromised in any way, the chance you would ever actually develop active TB is quite slim.

My skin test turned decades ago, when my nursing program retested everyone shortly after we began school (I don't recall why. We all had to have skin tests as part of the physical required to apply to school, and my prior test had been negative). My job prior to starting nursing school was running a soup kitchen and working with the street people in the city I was living in at the time, and we all assumed that was where I was exposed. I turned myself in to the public health department, had additional testing (CXR) which showed no sign of active disease, and completed the year of prophylactic therapy (INH). I've had no related health problems since then, and having a positive Mantoux has never impacted my career (or any other aspect of my life) -- the bonus is that it means you never have to have any more Mantoux tests! :)

Best wishes!

Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

I had a positive test almost 30 years ago after being a candy striper in a local hospital. I also got a year of INH therapy while I was in college because I was living in the dorms where communicable diseases could be a problem. Over the years I've had to have a couple chest x-rays, for nursing school and a new job, but other than that I've never had anything happen. Don't worry, get the information you can from your doctor, and take care of yourself. Good luck.

Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

1). It is not a "virus". It is a bacteria, a "bug", if you like.

2). Positive skin test means that your body and the Tb bug met each other. Nothing less, nothing more. It DOESN'T MEAN you got Tb and/or can infect anyone else, including your baby (please read it twice!)

3). Unless you have evidence of previous negative Tb tests, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to prove that you got this bug in that facility.

4). You need to speak with your primary care doctor or provider in public health department, and the sooner, the better. We cannot give medical advice on this forum but it is more likely than not that you'll be offered a course of an antibiotic and several tests (skin, Xrays, blood) within the next year.

5). It WON'T affect your career in any foreseeable way. You WON'T have any "stigma". Plenty of us here, me including, are "positive". It means nothing at all except that we have Xray or blood test instead of skin test every year.

6). 98% of testing for Tb in the USA is done out of abundance of precautions, NOT because so many people are sick with it. So, try to relax. It is not the end of the world in any sense. Just do what you doctor tells you to do.

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