What is tuberculosis?
What are the symptoms of TB Disease?
What is active TB disease?
Who gets TB?
Latent
Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI)
What does it mean to have Latent Infection?
The difference between Latent TB Infection and Active TB disease
Even though I have latent TB infection and feel fine, why does my doctor want me to take medication?
If I have latent TB Infection, how can I keep from developing active TB disease?
What if I have latent TB infection and HIV infection together?
Transmission
How is TB spread?
If someone has TB, will everyone around him/her develop the disease?
How can I keep from spreading the disease to others?
When is TB contagious?
How, when, and where did I get infected?
I read about this new strain of TB where the drugs do not work. Am I in danger of getting this?
Should someone with TB disease be restricted from work, school, or other social contact?
Should someone with latent TB infection be restricted from work, school, or other social contact?
What can be done to prevent the spread of TB?
If I were exposed to someone with active TB disease, could I give TB to others?
Testing for Tuberculosis
What is a TB skin test?
Why should someone need a TB skin test?
Who should be tested for TB?
How is a person tested to determine if they have TB?
When should a TB test be examined? (read or checked)
What does a positive TB skin test mean?
Should a person who received a BCG vaccination get a TB skin test?
Can a person who previously had a positive skin test reaction be re-tested?
Can my skin test be read if I return to the clinic after 72 hours?
Can I get tuberculosis from getting the skin test?
After the test, can I work, play, exercise, or take a shower?
Does a positive TB test mean that I am going to get tuberculosis?
Can a pregnant woman be skin tested?
Are these test safe if you are pregnant or trying to conceive?
I had a positive TB skin test years ago, but can't find my records. Can I just get a chest X-ray to show that I don't have TB?
Treating Tuberculosis
What role does surgery play in treating TB?
Are TB patients put into isolation or quarantine, as they were many years ago?
My pregnant wife needs to take TB medications. Are these drugs safe for her and the baby?
Is there a vaccination against TB?
How is active TB disease treated?
What are the side effects of medicine for TB?
Why do I need to take TB medicines regularly and not miss any doses?
What is directly observe therapy?
How can I remember to take my medicine if I'm not on DOT?
What are multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB)?
TB Blood
Testing
TB Blood Testing
TUBERCULOSIS DISEASE
Tuberculosis is a contagious disease caused by bacteria
called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. These
bacteria usually attack the lungs but can also attack
any other part of the body such as the kidneys, spine,
and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be
fatal. TB disease was once the leading cause of death
in the United States but now, in the 21st
century, it has still not been eradicated and poses a
very serious public health threat throughout the world.
TB is spread through the air from one person to another
by tiny airborne particles that contain the bacteria.
They are put into the air when a person with active TB
disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks,
or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria
and become infected. You cannot, however, catch TB from
clothing, dishes, food, or body contact with someone who
has TB.
However, not everyone who is infected with TB bacteria
becomes sick. People who are infected but are not sick
have what is called Latent TB Infection (LTBI). People
with LTBI do not feel sick, do not have any symptoms,
and cannot spread TB to others. However, some people
who have LTBI go on to develop active TB disease which
is contagious and does have symptoms.
Top
The symptoms depend on where in the body the TB bacteria
are growing. TB in the lungs may cause symptoms such
as:
·
A bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer
·
Pain in the chest when breathing in or out
·
Coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the
lungs)
Other symptoms of active TB disease include:
·
Weakness or fatigue
·
Loss of appetite
·
Weight loss
·
Chills
·
Fever
·
Sweating at night Top
TB bacteria become active if the immune system cannot
stop them from growing. The active bacteria begin to
multiple in the body and cause active TB disease. The
bacteria attack the body and destroy tissue. If this
occurs in the lungs, the bacteria can actually create a
hole in the lung, called a cavity (similar to a cavity
or hole in a tooth). Some people develop active TB
disease soon after becoming infected (within weeks)
before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria.
Other people may get sick years later, when their immune
system becomes weak for other reasons.
Top
Anyone can get TB. You are more likely to get TB
infection if you spent time with someone with TB
disease, you recently came to the United States from a
county with lots of TB, or if you spent time in a group
living situation. You are more likely to get TB disease
if you have TB infection and are HIV positive, are a
substance abuser, are very young, are elderly, or have a
medical condition that weakens your immune system, such
as cancer or diabetes.
Top
LATENT TUBERCULOSIS
INFECTION (LTBI)
In most people who breathe in TB bacteria and become
infected, the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop
them from growing. Even though there are TB germs in
the body, they are not active but are in a dormant or
“sleeping” state. The body’s defenses control the
bacteria by building a wall around them the way a scab
forms over a cut. The germs can stay inside these walls
for years, alive but not active. Since these TB germs
are not active, they can’t do damage to the person and
they can’t spread to other people. The person is
infected, but is not sick and has no symptoms. Also,
many people are not even aware that there is an
infection unless they are is tested for TB. Many people
who have latent TB infection never develop active TB
disease. The bacteria can remain alive for a lifetime
without causing disease. But in other people,
especially those who have a weak immune system, the
bacteria become active and multiply. The result is TB
disease. Top
|
A person with Latent TB Infection |
A person with Active TB Disease |
|
Does not feel sick |
Usually feels sick |
|
Has no symptoms |
Has symptoms described above |
|
Cannot spread TB bacteria to others |
May spread TB bacteria to others |
|
Usually has a positive skin test or positive
blood test |
Usually has a positive skin test or positive
blood test |
|
Has a normal chest x-ray and negative sputum
smear |
May have an abnormal chest x-ray, or positive
sputum smear, or culture |
|
Should consider treatment for latent TB
infection to prevent active TB disease from
developing |
Needs treatment for active TB disease |
Your doctor has prescribed an antibiotic called
Isoniazid to prevent the dormant bacteria in your lungs
from becoming active and causing TB disease. A six to
nine month course of treatment greatly reduces the
lifetime risk of developing TB disease.
Top
Many people who have latent TB infection never develop
active TB disease. But some people who have LTBI are
more likely to develop active TB disease than others.
Those at high risk for active TB disease include:
·
People with HIV infection
·
People who became infected with TB bacteria in the last
2 years
·
Babies and young children
·
People who inject ilegal 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 TB skin test
or positive TB blood test) and you are in one of these
high-risk groups, you need to take medicine to keep from
developing active TB disease. This is called treatment
for latent TB infection. There are several treatment
options. You and your health care provider must decide
which treatment is best for you.
The medicine usually taken for the treatment of LTBI is
called Isoniazid (INH). If taken for 6 to 9 months, INH
kills the bacteria that are in your body. If you take
your medicine as instructed by your doctor or nurse, it
can keep you from developing active TB disease.
Children, adolescents, and HIV-infected person with LTBI
need to take INH for 9 months.
Because there are less bacteria, the treatment for
latent TB infection is much easier than treatment for TB
disease. Usually, one drug is needed to treat latent TB
infection. A person with active TB disease has a large
amount of bacteria in the body. Several drugs are
needed to treat active TB disease.
Sometimes people are given treatment for LTBI even if
their skin test reaction is negative. This is often
done with infants, children, and HIV-infected persons
who have recently spent time with someone who has active
TB disease. This is because they are at very high risk
of developing active TB disease soon after they become
infected with TB bacteria.
Top
Because HIV infection weakens the immune system, people
with latent TB infection and HIV infection are at
very high risk of developing active TB disease. All
persons with HIV infection should be tested to find out
if they have latent TB infection. If they do, they need
treatment as soon as possible to prevent them from
developing active TB disease. If they have active TB
disease, they must take medicine to treat the disease.
Top
NOTE: Active TB disease can be prevented
and treated, even in people with HIV infection.
TRANSMISSION (HOW IS
TB SPREAD?)
TB is spread through the air from one person to another
by tiny airborne particles that contain the bacteria.
They are put into the air when a person with active TB
disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks,
or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria
and become infected. You cannot, however, catch TB from
clothing, dishes, food, or body contact with someone who
has TB. Top
Not necessarily. The likelihood that a person might
inhale TB bacteria from someone who has TB disease
depends on four factors:
1.
Infectiousness
of the person who has TB. The more infectious a person
is, the more bacteria he or she exhales with each
breath. As a result, more TB bacteria are put into the
air for others to inhale.
2.
The virulence
or strength of the organism that they exhale from their
lungs. A more virulent bacteria has the ability to
remain alive and reproduce longer and to cause more
damage to the lung once it is inhaled.
3.
Duration
or length of time that a person is exposed to the
bacteria that are present in the environment. The
longer the exposure, the greater the opportunity to
inhale more organisms.
4.
The environment
in which the bacteria are suspended in the air. A small
room with poor air circulation is an ideal environment
for transmitting TB bacteria from one person to
another. When air is allowed to circulate in a room
(open window, fan, air conditioning, etc.) TB bacteria
do not have an opportunity to remain suspended in the
air and are more likely to end up in the exiting portion
of the building’s ventilation system or sent out of
doors through an open window. Top
The most important way to keep from spreading TB is to
take all your medicine exactly as directed by your
healthcare provider. You also need to keep all of your
clinic appointments. Your doctoror nurse needs to see
how you are doing. You may need another chest x-ray or
a test of the sputum (phlegm) you may cough up. These
tests will show whether the medicine is working. They
will also show whether you can still give TB bacteria to
others.
If you are sick enough with active TB to go to a
hospital, you may be put in a special room. This room
uses air vents that keep TB bacteria from spreading to
other rooms. People who work in these special roms must
wear a special face mask to protect themselves from TB
bacteria. You must stay in the room so that you will
not spread TB bacteria to other people.
If you are infectious while you are at home, there are
certain things you can do to protect yourself and others
near you. Your doctor may tell you to follow these
guidelines to protect yourself and others:
The most important thing you can do is to take your
medicine and finish the entire course of therapy
Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you
cough, sneeze, or laugh. Put the tissue in a closed bag
and throw it away.
Do not go to work, to school, or out among other people
until your doctor determines that you are no longer
contagious. Sleep in a bedroom away form other family
members.
Air out your room often and allow fresh air from outside
to circulate. TB spreads in small, closed spaces where
air doesn’t move. Put a fan in your window to blow out
(exhaust) air that may be filled with TB bacteria. If
you open other windows in the room, the fan also will
pull in fresh air. This will reduce the changes that TB
bacteria will stay in the room and infect someone who
breathes the air Top
TB can be contagious in adolescents and adults who are
coughing, have a positive skin test, and an abnormal
chest x-ray. TB medications will make the person
non-contagious very quickly. Because of the
effectiveness of TB medicines, patients are not
quarantined and are usually able to return to school or
work within several weeks.
Top
Children under the age of 12 rarely have contagious TB.
This is because they have TB in a different area in the
body and do not aerosolize or cough up their germs into
the air. It is for this reason that the Los Angeles
County Department of Public Health has been instructed
to check the immunization record on these children as
being free of communicable TB on the day that the x-ray
is taken. Top
TB is spread through the air from one person to another.
It is not spread by sharing utensils, drinking glasses,
or cups, or sharing cigarettes. TB bacteria are put
into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs
coughs, sneezes, sings, or speaks. People nearby may
breathe in the bacteria and become infected. The TB
skin test, however, does not tell us when a person was
infected, or who infected them.
Top
There is really not a new strain of TB. There have
always been people in which some of the medicines do not
work. If this is the case, we use additional medicines
and patients take them for a longer period of time.
Cases where medicines are not completely effective are
uncommon in Los Angeles County.
Top
If TB disease is in your lungs or throat, you can give
TB germs to your family, friends, and co-workers. They
may become infected with TB germs and get sick with TB
disease. That is why you may have to be separated from
other people until you can’t spread TB germs. Taking
your medicines as your healthcare provider instructs
will shorten the time you need to be separated from
other people. Top
No. People with TB infection are not contagious and
can’t spread TB to others.
Top
If you have TB disease, you need to take all your
medicines as directed by your healthcare provider. You
should always cover your mouth when you cough or
sneeze. Your healthcare provider may recommend that
your family and others with whom you have spent a lot of
time have a TB skin test. If these people have a
positive reaction to the test, their health care
provider will probably order a chest x-ray to see if
they have TB infection or TB disease. If they
have a negative reaction to the TB skin test, they
should have their TB skin test repeated after 2 to 3
months. Top
Simply being exposed to someone who had active TB
disease does not guarantee that you too will become
infected with TB disease. In order for you to give TB
to someone else, you first have to become infected
yourself and then develop TB disease. Exposure to a
disease refers to being in the same environment where
the infectious organisms are present (bacteria, in the
case of TB) so that you have the opportunity to inhale
them into your lungs. Even after inhaling TB bacteria,
not everyone becomes infected and not every infected
person develops active, contagious, TB disease.
Top
TESTING FOR TUBERCULOSIS
A TB skin test is a test to see if TB germs are present
in the body. Los Angeles County uses the Mantoux method
for testing. Top
A skin test is used to see if a person has been exposed
and infected by the tuberculosis bacteria. A test may
also be required by an employer as an employment
screening tool or to enter school.
Top
People who have symptoms of active TB disease
People who have spent a long time with someone who has
active TB disease (a family member, friend, or
co-worker)
People who have HIV infection, lowered immunity, or
certain medical conditions such as diabetes or chronic
kidney failure
People who have worked or lived in a
homeless shelter, prison, or other group setting
People who have come to the United States
recently from a county where there is a lot of TB
Top
A TB skin test is used to help detect TB infection. A
small needle is used to put a liquid testing material
under your skin. In 2 – 3 days, you return to your
health care provider who will check to see if there is a
reaction to the liquid. In some cases, a special TB
blood test is given to test for TB infection. Other
tests are needed to show if you have TB disease. An
x-ray of your chest can tell if there is damage to your
lungs from TB. The phlegm (flem) you cough up can be
tested in a lab to see if there are TB germs in your
lungs. If TB disease is in your lungs, you may cough a
lot, cough up phlegm, cough up blood, or have chest pain
when you cough or breathe. You may also feel weak, lose
your appetite, lose weight, have a fever, or sweat a lot
at night. Top
The skin test should be examined, or read, 48 to 72
hours after it is administered. It is acceptable to
read the test up to 96 hours after administration if it
is not possible to do it earlier. After 96 hours, a
skin test of less than 10 mm of induration (swelling)
should be repeated. A skin test of 10mm or more is
positive at any time.
Top
A positive skin test means that a person has been
exposed to TB germs sometime during their lifetime. It
does not indicate that a person has TB or is contagious.
Top
Yes. Not all BCG vaccinations are effective. A history
of BCG vaccination does not exempt anyone from getting
the TB skin test. Top
Yes, but repeated TB skin testing is not necessary once
a person has a previous positive reaction. However,
some people may forget the result of their test,
especially if it was given many years ago. Therefore,
if there is no previously documented positive test
result to be found, the test should be repeated and
properly recorded.
Top
It is acceptable to read the test up to 96 hours after
administration if it is not possible to do it earlier.
After 96 hours, a skin test of less than 10 mm of
induration (swelling) should be repeated. A skin test
of 10mm or more is positive at any time.
Top
No. The testing fluid that you are receiving, known as
PPD (Purified Protein Derivative) does not contain any
live TB bacteria and, therefore, cannot infect you with
TB. It merely contains some of the protein that is
removed from the bacteria and then purified.
Top
Yes. The small blister that appears at the site of the
injection (called a wheal) should disappear in about 15
minutes. Top
The skin test can only tell if you are infected with TB
bacteria. To determine if you have active TB disease,
you will need a chest x-ray and other tests of your
sputum. If you doctor determines that you do have
active TB disease, you will be given medicines to cure
you of the disease. If left untreated, however TB can
be fatal. Since TB is curable and preventable, this is
all the more reason to see your doctor for a complete
medical evaluation. Top
Yes, Pregnancy is not a reason to not have a TB test
and, in fact, is recommended as part of good prenatal
care. The skin test is valid and safe throughout
pregnancy. Top
Yes. A TB skin test does not interfere with your
attempt to become pregnant nor does it have any negative
impact on the development of your unborn baby.
Top
If you cannot document in writing a previous positive
skin test (from your own records or your physician), you
will have to get another skin test. Only the skin test
(or blood test) will demonstrate TB infection.
Top
TREATING TUBERCULOSIS
Surgery has a very limited role to play in treating TB.
It may be helpful in a patient with MDR-TB for which
there are limited drugs available for treatment, to stop
bleeding, or to drain a persistently infected space in
the lung. Clinicians who are considering surgery on
their patients should consult with physicians at the
L.A. County Tuberculosis Control Program
Top
Today, treatment of TB is almost universally done on an
outpatient basis. Unless a patient’s TB is so severe
that it requires hospitalization, the majority of
patients receive their medications by Directly Observed
Therapy and routine visits to their healthcare provider
are scheduled in order to monitor the patient’s
progress. Soon after a patient is diagnosed with TB, he
or she is still contagious during the first few weeks
after starting his or her course of medication. During
these few weeks, patients are advised to remain at home
and not interact closely with other people. This may
mean time off work, being absent from school, and not
socializing around others. This is not the same as the
types of isolation and quarantine that were practiced
many years ago when patients were placed in sanatorium
facilities for treatment of their TB. Top
TB medications taken during pregnancy are safe for both
mother and developing child. Anti-TB medications can
also be given to breast-feeding mothers with no harmful
effects to the nursing baby.
Top
There is currently no effective vaccine that protects
people from developing TB infection and TB disease.
However, BCG, or Bacille Calmette Guerin, is a vaccine
that children often get in countries that have a lot of
TB. It may protect them from severe forms of TB
disease, such as TB meningitis. BCG shots are not used
much in the United States. The vaccine may be effective
for only about one year. It does not prevent people
from getting TB, especially adult pulmonary TB (TB of
the lungs). Top
There is good news for people with active TB disease.
It can almost always be treated and cured with
medicine. TB disease can be treated by taking several
anti-TB medicines. If you have TB disease, it is very
important that you finish all of your medications and
take them exactly as directed by your healthcare
provider. It takes at least six months to one year to
kill all the TB germs in your body. If you stop taking
the medicines too soon, you can become sick again. If
you do not take the medicines correctly, the germs that
are still alive may become drug resistant and the
disease may become very difficult to treat.
If you have active TB disease, you will be taking
several different medicines. This is because there are
many bacteria to be killed. Taking several medicines
will do a better job of killing all the bacteria and
preventing them from becoming resistant to the medicines
than if you were to take only one drug alone. The most
common medications used to treat TB are:
·
Isoniazid (INH)
·
Rifampin (RIF)
·
Ethambutol
·
Pyrazinamide
If you have active TB disease of the lungs or throat,
you are probably infectious. You need to stay home from
work or school so that you don’t spread TB bacteria to
other people. After taking your medicine for a few
weeks, you will feel better and you may no longer be
infectious to others. Your healthcare provider will
tell you when you can return to work or school or visit
with friends.
Having active TB disease should not stop you from
leading a normal life. When you are no longer
infectious or feeling sick, you can do the same things
you did before you had active TB disease. The medicines
you are taking should not affect your strength, sexual
function, or ability to work. If you take your medicines
as directed by your doctor or nurse, they should kill
all the TB bacteria. This will keep you from becoming
sick again. Top
If you are taking medicines for TB, you should take it
as directed by your doctor or nurse. The medicines may
cause side effects. Some side effects are minor, while
others are more serious. If you have serious side
effect, call your doctor or nurse immediately. You may
be told to stop taking your medicine or to return to the
clinic for tests.
The side effects listed below are serious. If
you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor or
nurse immediately:
·
No appetite
·
Nausea
·
Vomiting
·
Yellowish skin or eyes
·
Fever for 3 days or more
·
Abdominal pain
·
Tingling fingers or toes
·
Skin rash
·
Bleeding easily
·
Aching joints
·
Dizziness
·
Tingling or numbness around the mouth
·
Bruising easily
·
Blurred vision or changes in vision
·
Ringing in the ears
·
Hearing loss
The side effects listed below are minor. If you
have any of these side effects, you can continue taking
your medicine:
Rifampin can turn urine, saliva, or tears orange. The
doctor or nurse may advise you not to wear soft contact
lenses because they may get stained.
Rifampin can make you more sensitive to the sun. This
means that you should use a good sunscreen and cover
exposed areas so you don’t burn.
Rifampin makes birth control pills and implants less
effective. Women who take refampin should use another
form of birth control.
If you are taking rifampin as well as methadone (used to
trat drug addiction), you may have withdrawal symptoms.
Your doctor may need to adjust your methadone dosage.
Top
TB bacteria die very slowly. It takes at least 6 months
for the medicines to kill all the TB bacteria. You will
probably start feeling well after a few weeks of
treatment, but beware! The TB bacteria are still alive
in your body. You must continue to take your medicines
until all the bacteria are dead, even though you may
feel better and have no more symptoms of active TB
disease.
If you don’t continue taking your medicines or you
aren’t taking all of your pills regularly, this can be
very dangerous. The TB bacteria will grow and you will
remain sick for a longer period of time. The bacteria
may also become resistant to the medicines you are
taking. You may need new, different medicines to kill
the bacteria if the old medicines no longer work. These
new medicines must be taken for a longer period of time
and usually have more serious side effects. If you
become infectious again, you could give TB bacteria to
you family, friends, or anyone else who spends time with
you. It is very important to take your medicines as
directed by your doctor or nurse.
Top
The best way to remember to take your medicines is to
get directly observed therapy (DOT). If you receive
DOT, you will meet with a healthcare worker every day or
several times a week and he or she will deliver your
medicines to you. You will meet at a place you both
agree on. This can be in the TB clinic, at your home or
work, or any other convenient location. You will take
your medicines at this place while the healthcare worker
watches you swallow your pills.
DOT helps in several ways. The healthcare worker can
help you remember to take your medicines and complete
your treatment. This means you will get well as soon as
possible. With DOT, you may need to take medicines only
2 or 3 times each week instead of every day.
The healthcare worker will make sure that the medicines
are working as they should. This person will also watch
for side effects and answer questions you have about TB.
Even if you are not getting DOT, you must be checked at
different times to make sure everything is going well.
You should see your doctor or nurse regularly while you
are taking your medicines. This will continue until you
are cured. Top
The only way to get well is to take your medicines
exactly as directed by your doctor or nurse. This may
not be easy. You will be taking your medicines for a
long time (6 months or longer), so you should get into a
routine. Here are some ways to help you remember to
take your medicines:
·
Take you pills at the same time everyday – for example,
you can take them before eating breakfast, during a
coffee break, or after brushing your teeth.
·
Ask a family member or friend to remind you to take your
pills
·
Mark off each day on a calendar as you take your
medicine
·
Put your pills in a weekly pill dispenser. Keep it by
your bed or in your purse or pocket.
Top
Sometimes TB bacteria are resistant to the medicines use
to treat TB disease. This means that the medicines can
no longer kill the bacteria. Multidrug-resistant TB, or
MDR-TB, is caused by bacteria that are resistant to two
or more of the most important TB medicines – Isoniazid (INH)
and Rifampin (RIF).
A more serious form of MDR TB is called extensively
drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB). XDR-TB is a rare form of TB
that is resistant to nearly all medicines used to treat
TB disease. If you do not take your medicines as
directed by your healthcare provider, the TB bacteria
may become resistant to a certain medicine. Also,
people who have spent time with someone sick with MDR-TB
or XDR-TB can become infected with these
multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Drug resistance is more common in people who:
·
Have spent time with someone with drug-resistant TB
disease
·
Do not take all of their medicines as directed by their
healthcare provider
·
Develop active TB disease again, after having taken TB
medicines in the past
·
Come from areas where drug-resistant TB is common
People with MDR-TB or XDR-TB must be treated with
special medicines. Thee medicines are not as good as
the usual medicines for TB, and they may cause moe side
effects. Also, people with MDR-TB and XDR-TB must see a
TB expert who can closely observe their treatment to
make sure it is working. Treatment talks much longer
than regular TB. Finally, people with either MDR-TB or
XDR-TB are at greater risk of dying from the disease.
Top
A new method now exists for determining if you are
infected with TB bacteria. Instead of the traditional
Mantoux skin test, your healthcare provider will obtain
a small sample of blood that will be sent to a
laboratory for analysis. One advantage of this test is
that you do not need to return to the clinic in order
for the test to be interpreted (the site of injection on
the forearm is measured to determine if there is any
swelling). The blood test is also far more accurate in
determining whether or not infection is present.
This blood test is known as an Interferon Gamma Release
Assay (IGRA)
There are two types of IGRAs that your healthcare
provider may elect to used.
-
The QuantiFERON - TB Gold In-Tube Test
-
The T-Spot Test
To learn more about what each of these tests involves,
please click on the links below:
-
What are Interferon
Gamma Release Assays? (IGRA)
-
What is the T-Spot test?
(Note): The answer to these two questions can be found
on the TB Control website. We want to link the reader
to the answers that are already written as a CDC
document and as document from Oxford Pharmaceuticals.
To obtain this link, please do the following:
- Go to the home page of TB Control
- On the left side of the page,click on “TB Screening” (just below TB Control Manual)
- In the center of the page, locate “TB Blood Testing” and click on the statement in blue. This takes you to the CDC document on IGRAs.
- Again, in the center of the page, click on “T-Spot” for the answer to the second question. It takes you to the fact
sheet published by Oxford
.
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