A Tuberculin skin test is administered to determine if a patient is infected with latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the bacteria that causes tuberculosis).
Tuberculin skin test can also be called the Mantoux test, TB skin test and PPD. This test is considered revolutionary as it helps to catch the tuberculosis infection before it becomes active (that means the TB bacterium is still in its latent stage).
At the latent stage, the TB bacterium is asleep in your body and may remain so for an extended period. Though both stages can be treated, it does not hurt to catch it at its early stage. Catching it at the latent stage means you can catch it before it gets active; that way, you cannot spread the disease to anyone else.
Source: FIND
How is the Tuberculin skin test administered?
A qualified practitioner conducts the test. Your healthcare provider will use a needle to inject a harmless strain of the tuberculin-purified protein derivative under the skin of your arm. After this, your healthcare provider must check your arm for any reaction two or three days later. If you react to the test, there should be a raised bump, which your health provider will measure. A raised bump indicates that the test is positive; you either have a latent TB or an active TB.
Your doctor will follow up with a chest X-ray to confirm. On the other hand, if you don’t experience any reaction at all after the test, it means you do not have tuberculosis.
Do’s and Don’ts after a TB skin test
n Whenever you wash your arm or while taking a shower, ensure you wash your arm gently. Do not dry it vigorously, either.
n Be careful not to rub or scratch the injected area
n You can use a cold cloth on it if it itches
Do not cover up the spot with a bandage.
Tuberculosis is not the end of the world. Every stage is curable. You must undergo a test to prevent spreading it to other people.
When should I take a TB test?
You must be aware of your health. It shows that you are socially responsible for everyone around you. You should take a TB test if;
– You have lived in a country where the majority of people had Tuberculosis disease.
– – You work as a health practitioner in hospitals, prisons, etc., or you live in a nursing home
– You suspect you had close contact with someone who has an active TB disease.
– You can have a TB test even if you have had the BCG vaccine. It is possible to have latent TB still even though you have been vaccinated.
Feel free to take the TB test. All stages of TB are curable. In six months to a year, you can be assured that the TB disease will be gone.
