Ppd Tuberculosis Test Problem?

Question

I had a ppd test in june on my left arm at my pediatrician 4 college & it was positive. I didn't trust the diagnosis. I went to an infectious disease dctr 40 yrs in the practice regarded as best infec. disease doc. in my state. He gave me a ppd on my right arm
& it was a smaller mark & he read it as neg.

He said come back before I went to college to be sure, but this time I saw his partner for insurance reasons. Another I.F. doctor, 26 years in the field. I got a ppd from him in the left arm and the mark looks similar to when I got my ppd from the pediatrician.

It gets read on Tuesday. I think I'm positive. I had a chest x-ray in june & it was neg. Im not sure what to believe anymore.

How confident should I be if this doc. also says I'm neg.? I am unsure because I notice a bump, but the 1st I.F. said it was negative. The last thing I want is to be mis-diagnosed. Can I get active tb even if this is mis-diagnosed? Frankly I want to put off treatment till after colleg if pos.

I was born in the U.S. I even took isoniazid for 2 nights before going to the I.F. The original I.F. also told me I would most likely take a combination of isoniazid and rifampin. I am very curious about this allergy reaction. Should I explore this as a possibility and ask my doc?

I was born in the U.S. I even took isoniazid for 2 nights before going to the I.F. The original I.F. also told me I would most likely take a combination of isoniazid and rifampin. I am very curious about this allergy reaction. Should I explore this as a possibility and ask my doc? I have NO sympotoms of tb nor have I ever. I do not or have not lived in close quarters or any of the other things they ask you when they search for the cause of your diagnosis.

Additionally is there any other way to certify whether or not you have latent tb. Frankly for a disease this serious it is perplexing that it is determined whether you have a deadly disorder by a doctors feel on your arm. Very subjective.

Answer 1

Another possibility...
Did you ever get vaccinated for TB. This vaccine is not popular in the United States but if you lived out side of the U.S it is likely that you got vaccinated. If this is possible ask your parents.
If you were vaccinated for it, you will definitely test positive on the PPD but not on the X-ray.
PPD is actually not such a reliable test because like another person said you could just be having an allergic reaction to it.
One advice I can give you: Make 200% sure that you have it because TB medicine tends to be very toxic for your liver... I've already known two people that had the vaccine, were tested positive by PPD and then were FORCED to take the medicine. IT is very toxic. SO I am NOT saying don't take the medicine if YOU ARE sick. JUST MAKE DAMN SURE. Don't just get a 2nd opinion get 10 opinions....You know what I mean. And I know that it is very expensive but maybe this one time would be worth it to go back to that "BEST in your state" doctor a couple of more times just to make sure you are getting the best opinion!
TB is a very cruel and serious disease. Trust me this takes a lot of precedence over college. Don't freak out but DO carry through on this.

Answer 2

The PPD is read using criteria that's pretty accurate. The history-Is this your first positive PPD? Have you been exposed to anyone with active TB? Are you in contact with someone who has a chronic and mucus producing cough? Do you have contact with someone recently from an under developed country? Do you have contact with anyone recently in jail or HIV positive? Have you traveled out of the country? Have you had any symptoms? Coughing, coughing up sputum and/or blood? Night sweats, fever, weight loss? Do you have an immune suppressive condition? Diabetes? And yes, there is a group of individuals who have reactions to the PPD that appear to be allergic reactions. This should be investigated. The meds for TB can have an untoward effect on the liver, that's the reason for regular follow-up which includes bloodwork and perhaps another Chest Xray. It's better to be treated, it's a bacteria and can be cured - than to let it actually cause problems. Untreated TB can be debilitating. That bump is called induration. It's not unusual to have induration but it should be measured and along with your history - the determination is made. If there's even a possibility that you have active pulmonary (lung) TB, you shouldn't put it off because it can get worse and you can infect others.

Answer 3

You can have a false postive PPD test if you have allergies or if you are sick. PPD test and chest xRays are not very good diagnostic tools to confrim PTB. The gold standard is getting a sputum exam. So, if you are positive for that..the other diagnostic tools above are only confirmatory. All of us have latent PTB but since we have a healthy immune system, we don't manifest the signs and symptoms of TB. The only thing you should worry about is getting a reinfection which you can have if you are immunocompromised like if you have a long-standing disease like AIDS, renal failure, cardiac diseases etc. BCG vaccinations does not prevent TB in the lungs, it only prevents extramanifestations on other organs of your body (you can get TB in almost all parts of your body..testis, stomach etc)

Answer 4

You may just be having a reation to the ppd serum! Many people respond positive, but found negative on xray. You should see an allergy and immunologist physician. They could allergy test you to get to the bottom of it.

Have you been exposed to anyone with positive tb? Night sweats? Cough? Sudden weight loss?

Don't get yourself worked up until you get the facts...it may be nothing at all.

Answer 5

if you are positive you will have to start treatment or they won't let you start college. usually treatment is daily medication. medication should be free though

Answer 6

this is just one way to observe a possible issue