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Conditions and Diseases > Tuberculosis Forum > What does it mean to test positive for Tuberculosis (TB-test
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Q: What does it mean to test positive for Tuberculosis (TB-test
asked by: DoctorQuestion on January 23rd, 2006
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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Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov , MD
replied on May 23rd, 2006
Tuberculosis Answer A923
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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