There are two types of tests for TB infection: the TB blood test and the TB skin test. Your health care provider should choose which TB test to use. Factors in selecting which test to use include the reason for testing, test availability, and cost. Health care providers are encouraged to use newer TB blood tests to screen for TB infection. Generally, it is not recommended to use both a TB skin test and a TB blood test to test the same person.
TB Blood Tests
You are viewing: Which Of The Following Is True Of Tuberculosis
Read more : Which Borough Is The Most Dangerous
TB blood tests use a blood sample to find out if you are infected with TB germs. Two TB blood tests are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are available in the United States:
- QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus)
- T-SPOT®.TB test (T-Spot)
You can get a TB blood test at the health department or at your doctor’s office. The health care provider will draw your blood and send it to a laboratory for analysis and results. If your health department uses a TB blood test, only one visit is required to draw blood for the test.
- A positive TB blood test means that you have been infected with TB germs. Additional tests are necessary to determine whether you have LTBI or TB disease.
- A negative TB blood test means that your blood did not react to the test and that you likely do not have TB infection.
TB blood tests are the recommended TB test for:
- People who have received the bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) TB vaccine.
- People who have a difficult time returning for a second appointment to look for a reaction to the TB skin test.
Read more : Which Of These Would Be Deemed A Cybercrime
TB Skin Test
The TB skin test may be used to find out if you are infected with TB germs. You can get a skin test at the health department or at your doctor’s office. A health care worker will inject a small amount of testing fluid (called tuberculin or PPD) into the skin on the lower part of your arm. After 2 or 3 days, you must return to have your skin test read by the health care worker. You may have swelling where the tuberculin was injected. The health care worker will measure this swelling and tell you if your reaction to the test is positive or negative.
- Positive skin test: This means the person’s body is infected with TB germs. Additional tests are needed to determine if the person has LTBI or TB disease.
- Negative skin test: This means the person’s body did not react to the test, and that LTBI or TB disease is not likely.
If your exposure to TB germs was recent, your TB skin test reaction may not be positive yet. You may need a second skin test 8 to 10 weeks after the last time you spent time with the person with TB disease. This is because it can take several weeks after infection for your immune system to react to the TB skin test. If your reaction to the second test is negative, you probably do not have TB infection.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHICH
