TB test- not sure what to do?? Help!

[Epona]

Hi everyone! I read a few other posts about the TB test and did not see any that fit my situation so I thought I'd post and get your response ( I always get great feedback here)! :)

Here's the scoop: I am in my 2nd semester in RN school and doing very, very well. I had all the pre-clincial stuff done the 1st semester and my PPD test came back "ify" but the nurse passed me.

I had my second PPD done for this new school year and now when the nurse read it, she said it was positive. She had two doctors look at it in the clinic and they too said they thought it was postive. My doc. scheduled a chest Xray and it came back negative. Now what???

Clinicals are supposed to start Tues. and the hospital I am going to wants us to sign paperwork in reference to the TB test and exposure. Do they keep you out of nursing school for that?? I am going to see if I can have a blood test done (I think it starts with a Q- but not sure of the name) to see if I am really positive OR if it was a false positive. I have VERY SENSITIVE skin and get rashes even from hand creme and band-aids. So how knows... may have just been a skin irritation, but there is a little swelling under the skin and it is a bit red. Someone posted on another post that if you are postive and get the PPD test, it is actually bad for you. Anyone know anything about that?? Why it's bad?? I have felt really dizzy and weak today- felt like the pits and couldn't even drive.

Thanks all!! E

[Epona]

Thanks everyone! Good news... the bump underneath went down today (72 hours)... so the nurse put me down as negative. It was swelled up yesterday, but went down today.. no bump underneath. With that and the negative chest xRay.. I got a negative. YAHOO!! You all were really great in providing detailed info.!! THANKS!

Oh... and I still feel like the crud... upset tummy, weak... does any of this correlate with a PPD test that you have ever heard about??

Much thanks! E

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

Glad to hear your test is negative! Good Luck and hope you feel better soon.

[nancykday]

There is no blood test that you can have done that tests for TB. Mantoux tests that are positive just mean that you have developed antibodies after being in contact with someone that has had the disease. That is why a CXR is done to verify if you truly have it or not.

And if truly worried, then the AFB is done and that is is done of sputum, preferred a fresh specimen in the morning.

Having a positive TB skin test does not keep one from working in a hospital, nor from attending school. This is something that you may wish to discuss with your primary physician or an infectious disease specialist, some may want you to go ahead and get treated for it with pills for about six months, but this does not mean that you are infected and can spread it.

Best of luck to you.

There is a whole blood test for TB now. It is called

QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Test

You can read the CDC fact sheet at http://www.cdc.gov/tb/pubs/tbfactsheets/QFT.htm

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Show the negative cxr report.

I looked up the Q test and it seems the price will be about $25 minimum. The good thing is it is not affected by the BCG that a lot of immigrants had received when children. Wouldn't it be wonderful if TB could be eliminated.....wow.

[epiready]

yeah i have the same problem i was told that i was exposed to the strain that was resistant. I was sent a letter and asked to come in for testing (this was at my school). The thing is that there were other people that were in the same class that didnt go in and they seem fine and the class that i would have been exposed in i never went to and when i did i sat in the back around othes that were in my dorm. (there was no testing letter sent to the people in the dorm so it must of been limited to the class) i spoke to the Prof. once. I havent gone for treatment and now my back hurts and i have trouble breathing but i also have bad allergies and i wear a larger bra size than i use to and slouch. Does this mean i have developed the diseases i dont have the constant cough sometimes i do cough but no more than you would expect (when i laugh too much usually) i dont have fever and im a naturally lazy person. My weight has gone up since testing. my doctor said it would feel like the flu. when i was tested the spot looked like a bug bite (i might of scratched it) im very fair and i have sensitive skin so i didnt believe them and i didnt want to take medication for something i didnt have. They checked my blood and x ray they said that i had the infection but not the disease.

so confused