What does it mean to test positive for Tuberculosis (TB-test Posted: 01-23-06 10:18am
In August2005 took a routine physical for
a job I had applied for.Results for the TB
test were positive.No symptoms and chest
x-ray were normal.
My primary doesnt want me to take the
medicine because I am 50 years old( I dont
have any of the risk factors and cant
imagine how I picked up the GERM)Now the
health Dept is calling me to encourage me
that it is ok to take these drugs.My
primary tell me that they can cause liver
damage.
I recently had my gall bladder taken out.I
am worried,scared and really dont know
what to do.Is there another test to
confirm the results of the first one?Could
a low functioning gall bladder(HIDA was
15%)cause a false positive result?I am
VERY worried.
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DoctorAnswer
Doctor Answer
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Tuberculosis Answer A923 Posted: 05-23-06 05:01am
The gall bladder has no connection with a
positive TB-test. Doctors test for
tuberculosis using a Mantuh-test, or
PPD-test. Positive PPD-tests indicate an
allergy to the antigens of the germ
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TBC-germ). All
people who are vaccinated against TBC
(BCG-vaccine) have a positive PPD-test.
Are you vaccinated against Mycobacterium
tuberculosis, or not? People who became
infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis
and then defeated the infection
successfully also test positive for PPD.
People who became infected but did not
overcome the infection and became ill from
TBC have a positive PPD-test, too. We
can’t be sure in which group you belong.
Therefore, the health department has
reccommended that you take the medicines
as a preventative measure against
contracting TB. You can consult a
specialist for TBC, a pneumophtisiologist,
with further questions and concerns.
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