Positive TB test?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I had a reaction to a TB test a couple years ago when I first started nursing school. It was a 7 mm raised area. I immediately got a chest Xray, which was negative. The doctor ruled that since I had never been out of the country, never really been in a hospital or around sick people, and was a healthy 20 year old, that the test was negative. He said maybe it was because I had 'sensitive skin'. (Go figure...)

Last year, I had another test, which was negative, with no reaction.

I had another test today for my new job. I am so darn worried this one will be raised again and I'll have to go through the trouble to get another chest Xray and all that jazz. Its been about 12 hours and the area is very red and slightly swollen.

My question is this....why do I get these reactions even though I obviously do NOT have a latent TB infection?

Have any of you had a positive test, and if you have, is it an ongoing thing?...like every year you go through the same jazz to get a chest Xray?

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
I got a TB test today. The bump was gone by the time I got home, lol.

The "bump" (wheal) isn't the issue. That is simply the tenth of a cc fluid injected subQ and it disappears as your tissues absorb the fluid. If a raised area develps after 48-72 hours, that is a positive response.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

After years and years of annual PPD tests (I was in the military) with no issues, I recently had to have one at work when they discovered that pt who had been on our floor for about a month, had TB, and I had what they are deeming an allergic reaction. Shortly after being injected, I had a very large red welt on my arm, and as the evening went on, a rash spread down my arm. Due to it being an immediate reaction and despite the size of the welt, it was deemed negative. They are now deciding whether I can try the other serum they have or whether I have to go straight to cxr from now on.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

I had a scare once to the step 2 of my NS TB test. Wound up with a very puffy red area right up until the actual day to check the site. Wound up just being a localized reaction to the second shot. From what a PP said it sounds like perhaps your "positive" test was read wrong, followed by subsequent negatives. I wouldn't worry about it, would get the regular skin test, and if it shows a false positive again then I guess you get out of sticks and get chest xrays instead! :)

Best of luck,

Tait

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks everyone!

I thought it was odd everyone was making a huge deal about 7 mm since I knew that isn't even positive for myself...I'm not immunocompromised or anything...and the CRNP who gave me my test yesterday seemed overly concerned about that 7 mm test. I think they just make me worry for nothing!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

oh, heck, the id people around here tell us that if you ride in public transportation you've been exposed to the bacillus, you've inhaled it, you've made antibodies to it, and you will get a positive skin test. i too had one of those amazing huge reactions to a skin test, from wrist to elbow, big circles of red and itchy as hell, after years of negatives. they put me on rifampin and b6 and i got a home visit from the public health nurse. took the meds for a month and it made me sick and bumped my liver enzymes, so i stopped. they told me never to have a skin test again, just go right for the cxr.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've had a positive PPD, clear CXR. My doctor prescribed 9 months of INH, nonetheless. I don't get either PPDs or CXRs any longer. There is a blood test, Quantiferon Gold -TB (QFGT) that is used for people in my situation. It always comes back negative.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I've had a positive PPD, clear CXR. My doctor prescribed 9 months of INH, nonetheless. I don't get either PPDs or CXRs any longer. There is a blood test, Quantiferon Gold -TB (QFGT) that is used for people in my situation. It always comes back negative.

Can you work while you are on the INH or do they require you to take time off?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

When they read my latest test the girl (not a nurse..) flipped about a 4-5mm on me....because its 'so close to the 5mm" I told her first off you are measuring the REDNESS..you should be measuring the induration and even if the induration was 5mm, I do not have AIDS/HIV or any of the other reasons a 5mm would be considered +. She kept going on and on about the 5mm being + and that she is measuring at least a 4mm+.

I whipped out the print out from the CDC that showed the 5mm for certain people is + that >10 for other people and >15 for others. I told her I could go up to 10 since I am an employee of a LTC facility. and again, reminding her that the "high" mm she was getting was b/c she was measuring the redness. But she should be measuring the actual indruation. She said ohh no she knew what she was doing blah blah blah, the doctor is going to want a CXR. i called him over told him to check it..he said nope, she's a nurse she can go to 10 before its + and you DO NOT measure the redness! Her's is only a 2mm.

Took every adult and mature cell in my body not to stick out my tongue and go "nahhhh nahhhh I told you" at her. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Can you work while you are on the INH or do they require you to take time off?

You really need to check with your doctor and follow your doctor's and facilities advice. We really can't give medical advice and with out details it is difficult to know what may or may not be going on.

Peace...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

We are not able to provide medical advice and request that you contact your local health dept or your family doctor.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment