You then need to wait 48-72 hours before returning for the provider to look at your arm and determine if the test is positive or negative. In some cases, such as for those working in healthcare, you may need to repeat this process a second time. This will leave a small bump or “bubble” that normally disappears within a few hours. During the first visit, they’ll use a small needle to inject the protein just under the skin of your inner forearm. You’ll notice a firm, red bump at the injection site. A TB skin test requires multiple visits to your healthcare provider. You can’t get sick from a TB skin test. But if you’ve been exposed to TB in the past, your skin will react to the protein. Remember, this isn’t the actual bacteria that causes TB, just a protein from it. TB Skin TestĪ TB skin test works by injecting a small amount of protein under your skin to test your immune system’s response. For now, let’s look at the two most common types of TB tests more closely. So if you have a positive skin or blood TB test, you’ll need additional testing to confirm which type you have. But they can’t tell the difference between a latent or active infection. Depending on why you need to be tested, you can also get a TB blood test. Either test can show if you’ve been infected with the bacteria that causes TB. The most common type is a skin test that’s also called a Mantoux test or tuberculin skin test. What is a TB Test?Ī TB test checks to see if you’ve been infected with the bacteria responsible for causing tuberculosis. Since March 24th is World Tuberculosis Day, now is a great time to review what a TB test is, what you should expect, and who needs one. Luckily, if a latent TB infection is caught with a test, you can be treated early to prevent an active infection. Although these individuals don’t feel sick and can’t spread the disease, it can turn into an active infection-especially in people with a weak immune system. An estimated 25% of the world’s population has what’s known as latent tuberculosis infection. Many people who have TB don’t show any symptoms. But this lung infection spreads quickly and can be deadly if left untreated. This means TB testing is an important tool to prevent large outbreaks and protect public health. According to the CDC, there were just under 8,000 reported cases in the U.S. Fortunately, in developed countries like the United States, tuberculosis (TB) is rare.
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