Tuberculosis

[glascow]

I have been taking the PPD skin test atleast once a year since 1988. For the past six years my employer required it every 6 months.

In the past, after getting the injection, you couldn't even tell where the stick was. Never got red, hard, etc.

This past time when I got it, it got red immediately, and one week later it is still red and sore. It wasn't a positive result, not indurated.

What I'm wondering is: have I been tested so many times that my body is now developing an immune response to the vaccine? Is that possible?

Anyone else have this happen?

[laughingfairy]

I've heard from other nurses that this is not uncommon. In fact one of my instructurs actually told us when we first got them that most nurses will end up with some type of reaction.

It makes sense. We are introducing a tiny bit of dead organism to see if the body reacts to the antigens. After a while I would expect the body would start reacting because it would be creating antibodies. Much the same way allergy shots work.

I have never seen anything in writing.