positive TB test........now what?

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I am starting nursing school in a month a half. I had to get a physical and blood work done for entrance into the program. 9 years priors I had tested postive for TB for the first time, and my physician gave me a 9 month prescription to kill the bacteria, and I also had a chest x ray which came back normal. I didn't think anything of it until this week when again I tested positive for TB but my chest x ray is normal. Will this affect my chance of getting in the program, working with paitients in clinicals, or getting a job in the future?

to correct a misunderstanding, a positive tb test does, in fact, mean at one time you were infected with the bacillus and your immune system did its job and made antibodies. that is what the skin test measures, the antibodies. if you ride public transportation you are exposed to tb every time you step into the subway car or bus. you will convert your tb skin test, indicating you have been exposed and infected with the bacillus. unless you have an inadequate immune system, you will mount an effective immune response and not die like camille. no antibodies > no infection. antibodies > infection either past or present.

you will always have a positive skin test from now on, unless maybe when you are very old your immune system doesn't bother with it anymore. therefore you will tell anyone who wants to plant a ppd that you need a cxr instead.

if they banned every nurse with a positive ppd from work, then you'd really see a nursing shortage.

good luck!.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I tested positive as well to my complete surprise as I've never tested positive in the 4 previous times I've had a PPD done. I had a 100% clear chest x-ray and the only thing they found was low lung volume (I'm small to begin with and I have asthma) and minor scoliosis in my thoracic spine. So basically all they found were two things they weren't even looking for and that I already knew I had.

My program doesn't require treatment for latent TB and I can't even begin to pinpoint when I was exposed due to never having any (not even minor) symptoms, so I decided not to receive treatment. The NP I spoke with said that if it was her and the program didn't require the treatment, she wouldn't go through with it. So I guess it is just going to be a chest x-ray every year for the rest of my career.

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I've heard the same thing as well, a chest x-ray will put you in the clear.

If I remember correctly from patho/pharm, once you have a positive TB skin test, you will always have a positive.

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Specializes in LVN RDA.

So… I’m in the same situation and test positive in a TB test when I have taken a chest X-ray it is always negative. My concern is having to take an x-ray every year for the rest of my career. There’s serious health concerns associated with exposure to radiation such breast cancer, thyroid cancer, etc. It’s hard to imagine this being the standard. Is there any other way of testing if I am TB negative with out the concerns of an X-ray every year?!

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Specializes in Public Health.

If you were treated for pulmonary tuberculosis in the past you should be prepared to provide medical records to establish the drugs used and your completion of treatment.

DO NOT TAKE any more TB skin tests. You are going to be repeatedly positive for a PPD test. Explain your previous history of TB and your completion of treatment.

A yearly X-ray of the lungs is not necessary.  Your Employee Health program should send you an annual symptom survey to ask if you have any TB symptoms such as cough, fever, weight loss.  Obviously, you should report those symptoms sooner than annually when present.

You should have no problems as long as you can provide the documentation of your previous treatment.

 

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Specializes in LVN RDA.

I never took treatment, I wonder if this would still be aplicable. Thank you so much for your comment I find it very helpful.

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