Will I be able to become a nurse?

Baby Catcher · Feb 20, 2004

Yes. You just have to get a chest x-ray when everyone else gets their PPD.

b_a_nurse · Feb 20, 2004

Good! Thats a relief. I was kinda worried about that one.

zacarias, ASN, RN · Feb 20, 2004

Good! Thats a relief. I was kinda worried about that one.

Did the Doc put on any medication to prevent you from every developing active tuberculosis?

Trauma Columnist · Feb 20, 2004

A positive skin test just means you were once exposed to TB - not that you have active disease, so there isn't a need for meds.

zacarias, ASN, RN · Feb 21, 2004

TraumaRUs,

Actually it's pretty much standard practice in my area to prescribe like INH for patients who have a positive skin test to prevent them from developing active TB later in life if they should become immunocompromised.

MEL101 · Feb 21, 2004

TraumaRUs,
Actually it's pretty much standard practice in my area to prescribe like INH for patients who have a positive skin test to prevent them from developing active TB later in life if they should become immunocompromised.

:uhoh3: Really?...I wouldn't let someone RX me just for being positive from skin test & CXR neg....Theres a ton of people running around w + skin test...my experience is that those w + skin test have to get CXR too...thats all....

Agnus · Feb 21, 2004

TraumaRUs,
Actually it's pretty much standard practice in my area to prescribe like INH for patients who have a positive skin test to prevent them from developing active TB later in life if they should become immunocompromised.

A postive test in an indicator of the presence of the antibody.

How does that put you at risk for developing the disease later?

Does the bacillus hide out even with a very mild exposure where you don't contract the disease even after antibody development?

Wouldn't the TB vac (more antibodies) be sufficient, if this is the case?

Just wondering?

zacarias, ASN, RN · Feb 21, 2004

a postive test in an indicator of the presence of the antibody.
how does that put you at risk for developing the disease later?
does the bacillus hide out even with a very mild exposure where you don't contract the disease even after antibody development?
wouldn't the tb vac (more antibodies) be sufficient, if this is the case?
just wondering?

hey guys, below is directly from the cdc website and talks about latent tb infection (positive skin test). btw, the tb vaccine (bcg) is not widely used here in the us.,

if i have tb infection, how can i keep from developing tb disease?

many people who have latent tb infection never develop tb disease. but some people who have latent tb infection are more likely to develop tb disease than others. these people are at high risk for tb disease. they include:

people with hiv infection

people who became infected with tb bacteria in the last 2 years

babies and young children

people who inject drugs

people who are sick with other diseases that weaken the immune system

elderly people

people who were not treated correctly for tb in the past

if you have latent tb infection (a positive skin test reaction) and you are in one of these high-risk groups, you need to take medicine to keep from developing tb disease. this is called treatment for latent tb infection. there are many treatment options. you and your health care provider must decide which treatment is best for you.

the medicine usually used for the treatment of latent tb infection is a drug called isoniazid or inh. inh kills the tb bacteria that are in the body. if you take your medicine as prescribed, treatment for latent tb infection will keep you from ever developing tb disease.

most people must take inh for at least 6 to 9 months. children and people with hiv infection may need to take inh for a longer time.

sometimes people are given treatment for latent tb infection even if their skin test reaction is not positive. this is often done with infants, children, and hiv-infected people who have recently spent time with someone with infectious tb disease. this is because they are at very high risk of developing serious tb disease soon after they become infected with tb bacteria.

it is important that you take all the pills prescribed for you so that your treatment for latent tb infection is effective. if you start taking inh, you will need to see your doctor or nurse on a regular schedule. he or she will check on how you are doing. very few people have serious side effects to inh. however, if you have any of the following side effects, call your doctor or nurse right away:

no appetite

nausea

vomiting

yellowish skin or eyes

fever for 3 or more days

abdominal pain

tingling in the fingers and toes

warning: drinking alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, and liquor) while taking inh can be dangerous. check with your doctor or nurse for more information.

people who have latent tb infection but do not receive treatment for latent tb infection need to know the symptoms of tb. if they develop symptoms of tb disease later on, they should see a doctor right away.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2004

Many of us have been exposed to patients with tb and test positive. Not a big deal. My institution even stopped requiring XRays yearly. We just have to sign a waver that we are asymptomatic, having no tb like symptoms.

Good luck!