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Q: question re Latent TB
asked by: jellybean3009 on April 7th, 2009
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I have recently been diagnosed with latent tb: positive skin test and negative chest x-ray. I've read that the reading and interpretation of skin test is not easy. Many trained professionals read them differently. My doctor advised me to be treated with Isoniazid for 9 months. After I did research in the web, I noticed there is a blood test for TB called "Quantiferon-TB Gold test." Would there be any danger of having this test done so soon after the skin test? Or. do you think I should just proceed with the Isoniazid?

A friend of mine recently died from full-blown AIDS. I visited him a total of three times while he was hospitalized. Could my visits to him have exposed me to TB? Do all AIDS patients have TB? My wife and daughter also visited him and their tests were negative.

Thanks.
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VictoriaJ
replied on June 10th, 2009
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Latent TB
In my uninformed opinion (I'm not a health professional), you should have the Q-TB Gold test done to confirm your latent TB before starting on 9 months of isoniazid. I think doctors in the US have a protocol they must follow to keep TB from spreading, so they often suggest just chugging away on 9 months of liver-damaging drugs without first doing one more precautionary test to confirm. I just had a positive PPD although in Europe the guidelines are different and would have judged my PPD negative b/c I have no risk factors. My chest x-ray was clear. I then waited three weeks after the skin test to do the blood test (Q-TB Gold), which turned out to be negative. Perhaps some of us have sensitive skin and react to fixatives in the PPD fluid?
As for your friend with AIDS (which I'm sorry to hear about), if he was symptomatic (coughing) and TB positive, I think the hospital would have forewarned you, don't you think? Especially if your daughter was visiting him.
Even if you have latent TB, there are cures for it. Google rifampin and check out the latest studies on its efficacy. It's only a four month regimen. You have options.
Good luck and don't freak out!
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