TB Skin Test Results?

I had a TB skin test yerstarday and I am going tomorrow to have it read out. However I went in with some one and I checked to see what my friends look like and she did not have nothing where it was tested it was normal. but when i look at mine is kind of red its not big probably half and inch. I was working and I sweat a lot maybe i thought it got red because i got all sweaty where i got tested. now i put a little bit of alcohol on it and put a band aid where i got tested. what are the symptoms if i got the disease? or how would i know if there is something wrong?

Two days after the test is administered the site of injection is checked for swelling (redness is normal) and measured. The results are determined by the amount of swelling that feels firm to the touch. A result of

5mm is considered positive in:

People who live with someone with active TB
AIDS patients
People receiving immunosupressive drugs
Organ transplant recipients

10mm is considered positive in:

Foreign-born immigrants from Asia, Africa, or Latin America


Injection drug users and persons who abuse alcohol


Residents and employees of such high-risk congregate settings as hospitals, homeless shelters, and jails


Medically under-served low income populations


TB laboratory personnel


Children younger than four years of age or infants, children or adolescents exposed to adultsin high risk categories


Residents of long-term care facilities


Individuals with certain medical conditions that increase the risk of developingtuberculosis; these medical conditions include being 10% or more below ideal body weight,silicosis, chronic renal failure, diabetesmellitus, high dose corticosteroid or other immunosuppressive therapy, some blooddisorders like leukemia and lymphomas, and other cancer

15mm or greater is considered positive in:
Those with no risk factors and therefore at the lowest risk of developing TB.

5mm is about the size of a large plastic BB, 10mm a large pea, and 15mm a marble.

If your skin test reads positve it does not mean you have active TB it just means that you have been exposed to it so they follow up a positive skin test result with a chest X-ray to see if the disease is active.

Once you have had a positive skin test result you should never get another skin test you have to have a chest X-ray if you need a TB test.

TB is treated with antibiotics which are taken for about 6 months and they should be taken for the full time to prevent the bacteria from mutating and becoming resistant to treatment.

please dont put anything on it. leave it open and dont wory about redness. sometime it becomes red and its normal , only the thing is that it should not be huge spot. when you go there , the doctor will measure it .

do not paniac. you may be in the population that has a reaction to the test. it sounds like it is showing as positive result, they will send you for a chest x-ray to verify you are negative/positive. if you show negative you will not be able to have the PPD/TB Test done on your skin anymore

try not to panic about it. some people get redness, but that is not a positive. when you go get the test read, the nurse will feel the area for a bleb or raised area and take a measurement. the size of this area will determine if it is positive. and if it is, you will be told what you need to do. the symptoms of TB are persistant cough, night sweats, fatigue, weight loss, to name a few. although TB is not common, it is still around. my advice to you is to leave the area alone and not worry about it until you have to. good luck.

I don't think it was a good idea to put alcohol and a band aid on the tested area, because it is supposed to react by itself.
TELL THEM that you did that, because it might react to the alcohol and then the reading will not be accurate.

Now, this test only lets them know if you have been in contact with the bacteria. It means that if you were vaccinated at any time of your life, it could react that way.

So, don't get nervous, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have the desease. If the test is possitive, they will for sure perform other tests to know what's going on.

Redness by itself doesn't necessarily mean anything - what the doc will be looking for at 48-72 hours is induration - or swelling.

A positive TB test doesn't mean you have TB...it only means you have been exposed to the germ. If you react, they will ask you questions about symptoms (coughing, weight loss, night sweats) and probably send you for a chest x-ray. If you have a cough they might ask you for a sputum specimen.

TB is a very slow growing bacteria, so it takes a long time to get the culture results. If they are concerned that you might be infected, they may put you on meds and/or ask you to wear a mask when you are outside of your home until your results are back.

TB infection: this means you have the germ in your body, but it is not active and you can't get anyone else sick. It must be treated, however, so that it doesn't become TB disease.

TB disease: this is when you have an active case of TB and you are contagious to others. You will be placed on several medications for up to a year (sometimes longer). You may be expected to remain quarantined for several weeks until the medications have a chance to reduce your ability to spread the disease.

In either case, it is very important to take all of your medications as scheduled so that the disease won't get out of control. Sometimes, health departments will get involved and observe you as you take your medications - this is called "DOT", Directly Observed Therapy.

At any rate, don't panic. You probably are having a slight reaction to the preservative in the PPD.

tuberculin has a protien that may cause irritation but that doesnt mean TB. the needle may have caused a ligt bruise, besides a positive result is not only red but is raised. the size of a positive test depends on risk factors ie. race, socioeconomic standing etc. the less risk the larger the area has to be to be considered infected, even if your result is positive dont worry, you may have been exposed to TB in the past. once youve been exposed you will always test positive but that does not necessarly mean your sick. a chest x-ray would be your next step. good luck.