Everything You Need To Know To Find The Best tb serum
Testing for Tuberculosis: Blood Test
TB blood test
TB blood tests (also called interferon-gamma release assays or IGRAs) use a blood sample to find out if you are infected with TB germs. The tests measure how your immune system reacts when a small amount of your blood is mixed with TB proteins.
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Your health care provider will use one of the two TB blood tests approved for use in the United States:
- QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus)
- T-SPOT®.TB test (T-Spot)
Who can get the TB blood test
Anyone can get a TB blood test. TB blood tests are preferred for people who:
- Have received the TB vaccine, also called bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG).
- Have a difficult time returning for a second appointment.
TB blood tests are safe to use during pregnancy. TB blood tests have not been evaluated for diagnosing inactive TB, also called latent TB infection, in pregnant people.
If you received BCG
BCG is a vaccine for TB disease. The vaccine is not generally used in the United States. It is given to infants and small children in countries where TB is common. It protects children from getting severe forms of active TB disease, such as TB meningitis.
Tell your health care provider if you have received the TB vaccine, especially if you are getting tested for TB infection. The vaccine can cause a false positive TB skin test reaction. TB blood tests are the preferred tests for people who have received the BCG TB vaccine.
After you get your results
If you have a positive TB blood test result, you have TB germs in your body. Your health care provider will do other tests to determine if you have inactive TB or active TB disease. These tests may include a chest x-ray, and a test of the sputum (phlegm) you cough up.
Your health care provider will discuss your diagnosis with you and recommend treatment.
Keep Reading: Diagnosing TuberculosisTB Test: What It Is, How It Works, Results & Side Effects
What is a TB test?
A TB test checks to see if youve been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, which is the bacteria that causes tuberculosis (TB). There are two types of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screen tests: a skin test and a blood test.
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A TB skin test is also called a Mantoux test or tuberculin skin test (TST). A TB blood test is also called an Interferon-Gamma Release Assay (IGRA). TB skin tests are more common and are the preferred type for children under age 5. But blood tests for TB are becoming more common, especially for healthcare workers and those who have compromised immune systems or are going to become immunocompromised by medications.
TB skin and blood tests can show if youve ever been infected with M. tuberculosis complex, but they cant distinguish between a latent (dormant) or active TB infection. Youll need additional tests (like a sputum test) to see if you have an active infection.
Who needs a TB test?
You may need a TB test if you have symptoms of an active TB infection or if youre at a higher risk for getting TB. In addition, some childcare centers, hospitals and other facilities require you to be tested for TB to work there.
You may be at a higher risk for getting TB if you:
- Are a healthcare worker who interacts with and cares for people
- Live or work in a place with a high rate of TB infection, including housing facilities, assisted living communities and correctional facilities
- Have been exposed to someone who has an active TB infection
- Have a medical condition or take medication that weakens your immune system
- Have traveled to an area where TB is prevalent, including parts of Asia and Africa (you should tell your healthcare provider about any recent trips)
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How often do you need a TB test?
It depends on if you have risk factors for tuberculosis infection. If youre at a higher risk for TB, your healthcare provider may recommend yearly TB testing. If your risk for tuberculosis infection is low, you can go several years without getting a TB test. Ask your healthcare provider what frequency they recommend based on your specific situation.
How does a tuberculosis test work?
Both types of TB tests the skin test and blood test work by measuring your immune systems response to antigens taken from the bacterium that causes TB: Mycobacterium tuberculosis. An antigen is any substance that causes your immune system to produce a response against it. This means your immune system doesnt recognize the substance and is trying to fight it off.
How a TB skin test works
A TB skin test measures your immune systems response to a purified protein derivative (PPD) solution injected under your skin. PPD is a protein that comes from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Its not live bacteria, and it wont make you sick. If youve ever been exposed to the TB bacteria, your skin will react to the antigens by developing a firm, red bump at the site of the injection within three days.
How a TB blood test works
In most cases, if youve been infected with TB, certain white blood cells from your blood sample will release a protein called interferon-gamma (IFN- γ) when mixed with antigens derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a laboratory.
To conduct the tests, laboratory scientists mix your blood sample with antigens and controls and measure the reaction using a method called immunoassay. Theyll interpret your results as negative, positive or indeterminate.
What should I expect during the test?
The TB testing process is different based on what kind you get the skin test or the blood test.
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TB skin test process
A TB skin test requires two or three visits with a healthcare provider. During the first visit, they inject fluid into your forearm. On the second and third visits, the healthcare provider assesses your skins reaction to the injection.
During the first visit, you can expect:
- A healthcare provider will clean and disinfect the skin on your lower inner forearm.
- Theyll inject a small amount of fluid (called tuberculin or PPD) with a tiny needle under the skin on your lower inner forearm.
- Your provider may mark the injection site by circling the area with a pen. This makes it easier for them to find the area when assessing the reaction.
- A small bump will form where they injected the fluid. It should go away in a few hours.
Youll then return to your provider within 48 to 72 hours so that they can look for a reaction on your forearm where they injected the fluid. Firm swelling and redness at the site may indicate a TB infection. Its important to go to your second appointment to get an official result. If you dont return within 72 hours, youll need to take the test again. People with weak immune systems and those with frail skin conditions may not have reliable skin test results.
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TB blood test process
You can expect to experience the following during a blood test:
- Youll sit in a chair and a phlebotomist will check your arms for an easily accessible vein. This is usually in the inner part of your arm, on the other side of your elbow.
- Once theyve located a vein, theyll clean and disinfect the area.
- Theyll then insert a small needle into your vein to take a blood sample. This may feel like a small pinch.
- After they insert the needle, a small amount of blood will collect in a test tube.
- Once they have enough blood to test, theyll remove the needle and hold a cotton ball or gauze on the site to stop the bleeding.
- Theyll place a bandage over the site, and youll be finished.
The entire procedure usually takes less than five minutes.
After a healthcare provider has collected your blood sample, theyll send it to a laboratory for testing. Once the test results are back, your healthcare provider will share the results with you.
Does a TB test hurt?
For both a TB skin test and blood test, you may feel a small pinch from the needle, but this will be brief. For a skin TB test, the liquid the healthcare provider injects shouldnt burn or feel uncomfortable.
What are the side effects of a tuberculosis test?
There are very few side effects of having a TB skin test or blood test.
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For a TB skin test, you may feel a pinch when you get the injection. Some people report discoloration, swelling and tenderness at the injection site.
For a TB blood test, you may have slight tenderness or a bruise at the site of the blood draw, but this usually resolves quickly.
What type of results do you get from a tuberculosis test?
The results of a TB skin test or blood test will be either negative or positive. Its important to remember that these tests only show if youve been exposed to the tuberculosis infection not if your infection is active or latent. You might have a false-positive skin test result if youve received a TB vaccine (BCG).
Positive TB test
If your TB skin test or blood test is positive, it probably means youve been exposed to the bacterium that causes TB. Your healthcare provider will likely order more tests to help make a diagnosis. Tests that diagnose active TB infections include chest X-rays and laboratory tests on a sputum sample. Sputum is the thick mucus that you cough up from your lungs. Its different from spit or saliva. Youll need treatment for TB, whether its latent or active.
Negative TB test
If your TB skin or blood test is negative, you likely havent been exposed to the TB bacterium. A negative TB skin test means your skin didnt react to the liquid. You may need further testing if your results were negative, but you have symptoms of TB.
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When should I know the results of my TB test?
It takes 48 to 72 hours to complete a skin TB test. Once you have your second visit with your healthcare provider, theyll be able to tell you whether your skins reaction indicates that you have a TB infection.
In most cases, you should get the results of your TB blood test within one to two days, though it could take longer.
What does a positive TB test look like?
A positive TB skin test will look like a firm, red bump. Your provider will measure the size of the firmness of the bump. Your provider considers your particular risk factors to determine the results of your test. Youre considered positive if your bump is:
- Greater than or equal to 5 millimeters (mm) and you have a compromised immune system
- Equal to 10 mm and youre a healthcare worker
- Equal to 15 mm and you dont have any risk factors
Even if you think you know the result of your test based on your skins appearance 48 to 72 hours after you were first injected with the liquid, its important to see your healthcare provider for the second visit to get a proper assessment. Theyre specially trained to observe your skin for a reaction and need to document your result.
When should I call my healthcare provider about tuberculosis?
If you have symptoms of TB like a persistent cough, chest pain and fever or think youve been exposed to someone with an active TB infection, its important to see your provider as soon as possible.
TB can be deadly if its not properly treated. Most cases of TB can be cured if you take antibiotics as directed by your healthcare provider. Both active and latent TB should be treated, but the type and medications and how long you need them are different if you have active versus latent TB.
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