About Tuberculosis

[DDSboy]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I just took got back my TB test results and my physician told me that I was borderline positive. The size of the skin reaction was 10mm. He told me that I could start INH therapy to remove the TB bacteria but mentioned that I will need a check up regularly and also that its a 6 month long therapy. He also told me that there could be side effects, from minor ones like upset stomach to major ones like liver damage and numbness. He said that it was up to me to decide if I wanted treatment but suggested that maybe I shouldn't do the treatment since the chance of me getting the TB disease in the future is very low. I'm not sure what do to. I'll be entering dental school and I'm not sure what they'll think if I don't take the treatment. Can you guys give me some suggestions and tell me what your physicians would recommend.

 

[Frank Cavitation]

Hi, I also had a positive reaction to the Mantoux test, but it was probably because I had the tuberculin vaccine when I was a kid (yes, I'm an Azn fob). Unfortunately it's not possible to tell whether I also have a dormant TB presence so I got chest x-rays and took Isoniazid for 6 months and was told to refrain from alcohol due to risk of liver damage. I felt no ill effects from the treatment, and when I got into dents I got another chest x-ray.

You must do something to prove you have no active TB and are doing something about the positive test. Your school will be in trouble if it turns out you have an infection and start coughing on your patients, so they probably will take no risks.

 

[DDSboy]

My chest x-ray came out negative so I have no active TB presence. However, I might or might not have dormant TB present. Do you think the school will force me to start on the INH treatment before I can start?

 

[Frank Cavitation]

DDSboy,

my school was satisfied with just the x-ray (I had not told them
of the INH therapy). But be truthful and ask them beforehand to make sure.

 

[groundhog]

Those positive TB test results are becomming a common occurrance for USA health care workers. The vaccine for TB was not commonly given to folks in the USA due to the low rate of infection amongst the population. However, recent immigration from third world countries has increased the exposure rate. Once they test positive, I believe health care work workers are required to get a chest x-ray once each year after completing the 6 month antibiotic routine.

Tell your dental school because you will eventually be tested by them too and you will have to submit to their requirements. Besides, I doubt that you would you want to infect others if you had a dormant case which became contagious.

If one is in the health care business , it is good to never forget that you are constantly at risk for exposure to disease causing organisms. (i.e. the MD in Asia who was treating the SARS patients and became a casualty himself). Frankly, I believe that many workers in the USA health care industry have gotten a bit cavalier about sanitation and would be wise to consider reverting back to some of those formal "uptight" regimines practiced by their forbearers. The "touchy feely" approach to the delivery of health care services has its merits, but should not override prudence.

 

[tinker bell]

If you had vaccine before (if you grew up elsewhere in the world, but not USA). You will show a positive test. The chest x-ray is the truth result. Don't worry about the skin test if your x-ray looks good.

 

[kimbob7]

dds boy,

i too have had a positive result for many years. but 2 years ago, i got the test done at duke and they made me do INH. it really isn't that bad. i had a negative CXR so yes, i only have the "inactive" TB. which is no big deal now, because i am healthy, but in the case that my immune system got weak, it would be possible that the dormant TB would become active and etc. so, go to your student infirmary if you are still a student and get the prescription now for free, before you graduate. they give you 6 months of horse pills, but it is not that big of a deal. they tell you that you may get liver damage, thus you have to go in at 3 months to get a liver test, but for me nothing happened. it is kinda like when you get your wisdom teeth removed and they say you MIGHT lose all feeling to your lip. doctors just have to warn you about possible side effects. so, yes, get the treatment. otherwise every year when you test positive they are going to keep hounding you about INH. and now, i dont ever have to have xrays or skin tests. i only have to get an xray if i am showing signs of TB (which i am not).

if you have more questions, email me at [email protected]