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Student Health Center St. Mary's University One Camino Santa Maria San Antonio, Texas 78228 Monica Joslin, Office Coordinator phone: (210) 436-3506 fax: (210) 436-3656 mjoslin@stmarytx.edu Academic Year: - Monday-Friday 8am-4pm. - Closed daily from 12-1pm - Closed every Thursday from noon-2pm. |
Tuberculosis: What You Need To KnowQuestions answered here:
What are the TB testing requirements at St. Mary's University? All international students and students born outside of the USA must have a TB skin test:
What is tuberculosis? Tuberculosis, also called TB, is an infection caused by a bacterium that usually affects the lungs, but it can spread to the kidneys, bones, spine, brain and other parts of the body. How does my doctor check for tuberculosis? The most commonly used method to check for tuberculosis is the TB skin test or "PPD" skin test. If you have a positive TB skin test, it means you have been exposed to tuberculosis and you are infected with the bacterium that causes the disease. If you have a positive TB skin test, you must have a chest x-ray and a physical exam to find whether you have active disease or are able to spread the disease to others. It usually takes only a few days to tell whether you're contagious. Most people with a positive skin test aren't contagious. How do you perform a TB skin test? The TB skin test is performed by injecting 0.1mL of 5 TU (tuberculin units) PPD underneath the top layer of the skin of the forearm (see picture below). The injection is typically made using a very small needle and syringe. A pale elevation of the skin or wheal should be produced when the injection is done correctly. Generally the wheal will be quickly absorbed.
When do I need to return to have my TB skin test read? You will need to have your TB skin test read in 48-72 hours. What is the cost of a TB skin test at St. Mary’s University? The cost is only $10 at the Student Health Center. I received the BCG vaccine when I was younger. Do I still need to receive the TB skin test? YES. St. Mary’s University requires all international students and students born outside of the United States to have a TB skin test REGARDLESS of prior BCG vaccination. TB skin testing is NOT CONTRADICTED for BCG-vaccinated persons. In fact, a 10 mm reaction to the TB skin test is considered positive in a BCG vaccinated adult and a chest x-ray should be performed. If the chest x-ray is normal, then a previously BCG –vaccinated adult should be counseled on treatment for latent TB infection with isoniazid or INH. If I have a positive TB test, do I have tuberculosis? Not necessarily. A person can be infected with the bacteria that causes tuberculosis but not actually have the disease. For example, a person with positive TB skin test, no symptoms, and a normal chest X-ray has "latent TB" and is not contagious to others. This person is said to have latent TB and has a 10% risk of developing TB DISEASE or ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS if prophylactic treatment with INH or isoniazid is not taken. People who have "active" TB have a positive TB skin test, have symptoms of TB and also have abnormal chest X-rays. People with "active" tuberculosis are infectious or contagious to others. This is the reason it is so important to be tested so that treatment can be initiated promptly. Review below:
How will my doctor treat the tuberculosis infection, also known as "latent TB"? To be sure that you remain healthy, your doctor may recommend that you take medicine for 6 months to kill the tuberculosis infection. If you don't take the medicine, the bacteria will remain in your lungs, and you will always be in danger of getting active tuberculosis. The medicine used to treat tuberculosis infection is isoniazid or INH. You need to take 1 pill every day for 6 months. INH may have side effects, but not very often. Typical side effects include a skin rash, an upset stomach or liver disease. Ask your doctor about other side effects that might happen. Can I still get active tuberculosis after I take medication for latent TB infection? Even after you take the medicine every day for 6 months there is a small chance that you could develop active tuberculosis disease, because some bacteria are resistant to the medicine. Staying healthy depends on having sensible living habits. You need enough sleep and exercise and a healthy diet to keep up your health and resistance to the tuberculosis bacteria. What are the symptoms of "Active" Tuberculosis? You might not know that you have active tuberculosis. Tuberculosis bacteria can grow in your body without making you feel sick. However, most people with active tuberculosis don't feel well. Symptoms of active TB include:
If you have any of these symptoms, you must contact your doctor as soon as possible. If you are found to have active tuberculosis, you will have to get regular checkups and chest x-rays for the rest of your life to make sure you stay free of disease, even after you have taken tuberculosis medicine. How is Active Tuberculosis spread to others? Tuberculosis is a respiratory infection and can spread to others when a person with "active" tuberculosis coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings which allows the bacteria to spread to the respiratory system of another person. Those living with the person with active TB are at the highest risk of being exposed. A person with a positive TB skin test and a negative chest x-ray is said to have "latent TB" which is NOT infectious to others. A person with latent TB, however, has a 10% chance of developing "active TB" in their lifetimes, which is why prophylactic treatment with isoniazid or INH is so important.
What is the treatment for active tuberculosis? If you have active TB, your doctor may recommend that you take several medications. It's very important that you take all the medicine given to you. For the medicines to work at curing your tuberculosis, you must not skip a single dose. Your doctor may also order several sputum and blood tests to be done while you are being treated for tuberculosis. (Sputum is phlegm coughed up from deep inside the lungs.) These tests can be done by the nurse or at a clinic. Sources: |
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