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| Subject: TB QUESTION AGAIN? |
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Can I ask the TB question one more time? Plz?
What coz a physician to decide send a patient goes under 9 months medication? Result of skin test (positive) or the chest x-ray result?
Does chest xray show a patient has inactive TB ... OR ... is it the positive skin test result that prove of inactive TB?
Educate me, plz!
[02-12-2005,01:02]
[**.186.56.253]
Sammy |
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(in reply to: TB QUESTION AGAIN?)
The most reliable test is sputum test, however there are new methods too but those methods are not yet in use in normal pathologoical labs.
If you were vaccinated for TB in childhood your skin test will be positive. That doesnt mean that you are a TB patient. Next thing is chest X-ray. If you were a TB patient in the past and physician finds signs of sleeping TB in the X-ray and if he wants to clear some doubts he/she would suggest suputum test. Once your sputum test is negative your fine and have already taken treatment for TB. Nothing to worry.
I hope it helps
Good luck
[02-12-2005,06:26]
[***.225.15.40]
Scientist |
(in reply to: TB QUESTION AGAIN?)
One third of the World´s population is infected with TB. However only 10% of those people develop an active TB, rest of the people might have TB bacilli in their lung but never develop the active/clinical disease. So, If you have ever been to a TB endemic area then it is possible that you have a live TB Bacilli in your lung. scary huh?
In that case, your tuberculin test would be positive like those who were vaccinated with BCG. But that does not prove that you have an active TB. Chest X ray would show If you have those TB lesions (granuloma) in your lung.
Based on my experience, Doctors in the west know that people from south east Asia and other endemic regions are always tuberculin (skin test) positive. Once you are a tuberculin positive, they even do not bother doing the test again (makes sense, you are positive for life). However, they request a chest x ray periodically and try to find if you have clinical symptoms of TB (like weight loss, cough etc).
In terms of sputum test to visuaiize TB bacilli , the disease has to be in an active form releasing the copius amount of TB in the extracellular milleu. I think by the time this happens, there will be obvious clinical signs of TB and a chest X ray to prove it. So I do not think a doctor would ask for a sputum test after examinig you and your fine Xray. I could be wrong though, please correct me in that case.
[02-12-2005,13:02]
[***.254.104.182]
stephenie |
(in reply to: TB QUESTION AGAIN?)
canadian medical officers usually ask for monitering period (usually 7-12 months) if the chest x-ray shows the inactive TB, if nothing develops into active TB during this period you will pass the medical test (provided that there are no other problems)
[03-12-2005,06:34]
[***.52.5.181]
mts |
(in reply to: TB QUESTION AGAIN?)
Stephenie I agree with your points, although a clinician should never use the chest x-ray as a confirmatory test because of the other abnormalities out there. Hence the sputum test or pharyngeal swab would be the confirmatory test. Unfortunately the lab results could take time (there are newer faster methods, not widely available) hence the physician goes ahead and starts the treatment on suspected cases.(positive skin test,symptoms X-ray)
Now like i had mentioned in an earlier post, the BCG vaccine (not given in USA) is not considered reliable, unfortunately even if there have been improved forms to the BCG vaccine in recent years. it is still not effective in erradicating TB. Earlier (upto 5 years ago) in the US if you had a positive skin test for TB (usually less than 10mm) due to the BCG vaccine and had a clear chest X-ray they would consider you to be OK and would not put you on medications. But nowadays you are considered to be a carrier or having inactive TB due to recent guidelines that have been established. So Sammy that is why your friend was considered having inactive TB with a possibly clear X-ray.
I believe the Canadian authorities have gone a step further regarding the skin test. They dont use it. They know that the skin test is not reliable (especially for immigrants from Asia & Eastern Europe) and are using blood tests(QFT, Elispot). This is much better than the skin tests but again not confirmatory.
I know in the US the FDA has approved QFT and should soon replace the skin test.
Sammy, please dont make a big deal about this. Your friend has undergone treatment for inactive TB and that should be fine with Canadian authorities.
Good luck!
[03-12-2005,12:29]
[**.247.161.146]
mmm_doughnuts |
(in reply to: TB QUESTION AGAIN?)
By the way Sammy, not all people who get a BCG vaccine in childhood have a positive skin test. The one time vaccine is usually considered good upto 15 years, that is why some eastern european countries have booster shots.
Iam a good example of a BCG vaccine recepient and I showed up as having a negative skin test : ) in the US. So now you understand why the authorities are taking precautionary measures.
[03-12-2005,12:51]
[**.247.161.146]
mmm_doughnuts |
(in reply to: TB QUESTION AGAIN?)
Disclaimer: Please dont take my advise word for word. I could be wrong .Iam not a TB expert or a licensed physician in the United States, Iam a humble quack :). Iam a foreign trained physician that has morphed into a lab rat.
I have two masters degrees in medical research oriented fields from the United States. My present job/internship has me working on Influenza (more specifically on hetrosubtypic immunity) also known as the "flu". With bird flu being the hot topic now my boss is rubbing his hands in glee on the grant money thats being poured in : ) Cheers!
[03-12-2005,16:22]
[**.247.161.146]
mmm_doughnuts |
TB QUESTION AGAIN (in reply to: TB QUESTION AGAIN?)
i was tested positive for skin test but my chest x-ray is normal but still my doctor advise me to go chest clinic for counselling to undergo medication,my doctor told me ill be positive before taking the skin test and i was positive he said that mostly asian are mostly positive for tb test so i am confused if i will take medication i need your advise please help me thank you!
[13-02-2007,03:46]
[**.80.185.40]
jay-r |
My cousin'sTB test (in reply to: TB QUESTION AGAIN?)
My cousin is pregnant. Before the interview in the immigration they have to finish their physical check up. And we are asian,we always get positive results on tb test. And she can´t go under x-ray because of radiation. What test can she do.
[31-07-2009,16:16]
[**.243.6.169]
J Sarmiento |
(in reply to: TB QUESTION AGAIN?)
Your cousin should advise immigration as soon as possible that she is not able to comply until birth of child - then her application will be delayed. Otherwise, her application can be refused for non-compliance. There is no way around medical x-ray.
[31-07-2009,16:35]
[**.210.64.196]
Anonymous |
