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TB Testing with positive exposure  

post #1 of 11
8/20/08 at 11:38pm
Thread Starter 
Hi all, we were just notified that a teacher has been diagnosed with TB. They are recommending (more than recommending, just short of requiring) that all the kids get a TB test.
Any experience with that??
Are TB test similar to vaccination....I know it is just for detection, I mean as far as entering the bloodstream, lowering/compromising the immune system, causing reactions etc.
Thanks in advance for your input.
post #2 of 11
8/21/08 at 1:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ItsAllGood View Post
Are TB test similar to vaccination....I know it is just for detection, I mean as far as entering the bloodstream, lowering/compromising the immune system, causing reactions etc.
0.1 ml of purified protein derivative (taken from dead tuberculosis bacteria) containing 5 tuberculin units - plus Phenol and polysorbate 80 is injected subcutaneously, then the area is checked for any reaction 48-72 hours later.

http://lungdiseases.about.com/od/tub...oux_test_2.htm
post #3 of 11
8/21/08 at 5:30am
Thread Starter 
Do non-vaccinated kid need to be tested for TB exposure then ???
post #4 of 11
8/21/08 at 5:36am
There is no TB vax (not that is used in the US, anyway) so vax status is not the issue.

IMO, after researching the TB test and it's reliability (lack thereof), I would not do it. There is a blood test that IIRC is more reliable, and I would do that one, since it does not involve injecting all that crap into my body.

Does the teacher have active TB? Or did he/she just have a positive reaction to the test?
post #5 of 11
8/25/08 at 8:22am
Thread Starter 
She has active TB and now on the medication they take for 6 to 9 months.
I am looking at the injection issue also.....subcutaneous it is.
Back in time, we had the one with the four prongs. Now it is the injection of something right under the skin and wait to see if they get a reaction.
Or a chest x-ray, but that has been reserved for older children and adults one parent says., not sure on that.
UGH! And you can be exposed and carry it around to.
post #6 of 11
8/25/08 at 11:15am
you can also test sputum (or have a blood test, like the pp said). the under-the-skin tb test is notoriously inaccurate and it injects toxins, so i would skip it. once your child has a positive skin test on his/her record, s/he will have a lot of hoops to jump through for school/work.
post #7 of 11
8/25/08 at 6:47pm
I haven't looked into this, but I would see how long it takes before a person would show symptoms etc. We had a child here at one of the hs dx w/ TB and they did the same thing basically, everyone who came in DIRECT contact w/ that student was reccomended to have the test etc.
post #8 of 11
8/25/08 at 7:44pm
Are you sure she has active TB? People who convert their PPD (have a postive test) also take 6-9 months of INH to prevent the development of TB. That's very different than having active TB. A person like that can not transmit TB. A person with active TB has actually TB bacteria in their sputum, not just a positive skin test. They are usually isolated for a period of time, and are on 4 different drugs.
post #9 of 11
9/1/08 at 7:51am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by WildKingdom View Post
Are you sure she has active TB? People who convert their PPD (have a postive test) also take 6-9 months of INH to prevent the development of TB. That's very different than having active TB. A person like that can not transmit TB. A person with active TB has actually TB bacteria in their sputum, not just a positive skin test. They are usually isolated for a period of time, and are on 4 different drugs.
Yeah, she is out on medical leave. She is on medication, that was conveyed to us when everyone wanted more details. They are balancing respecting her health privacy and proper notification to everyone.
The recommendation was for all kids to be tested that came in contact with her as a safety precaution. Nobody else has come down with anything, but I understand the school having to notify all.
Yes this would be the first "injection" of toxins into dd if we decided to do the test. We are holding off right now, weighing options and all, looking at how much contact she particularly had with her.
We are two weeks past the date we all were notified, lots of kids (camp situation).
post #10 of 11
9/1/08 at 8:09am
When I was pregnant with my first child, we lived in a house with 6 apartments. The man next door used to cough all day and all night. We moved, I never thought anything of it. When DS was a year, I needed the test for a job. I was shocked to have the news I was a positive skin test. I had the xray- all was fine, I am a carrier. I took isonosid (not sure of the spelling) for 2 months, I was nauseous from it. I ended up getting pregnant because it weakened my birth control pill. I stopped the drug and havent ever taken it again. That was 11 years ago. My son has not had a positive test but I will always be a non contagious carrier.
post #11 of 11
9/2/08 at 11:09am
As has been noted, you can request the Quantiferon blood test instead of the Mantoux skin test - and thus avoid having anything injected.
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