Thread: Anyone test positive for the TB skin test?

Hi, I was immunized with the BCG vaccine when I was born & I will probably have a positive skin test for TB because of this. Has this happened to anyone else? What is likely to happen with my application?
I start school in a month and have just gotten around to getting my physical for the Student Visa, I'm kind of worried that this skin test will screw things up for me.

Any opinions out there?

WantMD :-)

Originally Posted by WantMD

Hi, I was immunized with the BCG vaccine when I was born & I will probably have a positive skin test for TB because of this. Has this happened to anyone else? What is likely to happen with my application?
I start school in a month and have just gotten around to getting my physical for the Student Visa, I'm kind of worried that this skin test will screw things up for me.

Any opinions out there?

WantMD :-)

You couldn't have posted this at any better time. I just had my tests done today. The nurse who did my test noticed my application only after finishing the TB test to realize that I was given BCG vaccine. She said I'm gonna test +ve, but told me not to worry as it is a false +ve sign. She said if I indeed test +ve, then she is gonna do a simple X-ray test which should make everything straight. So, if you are sure you were given BCG, then ask your doc to do directly the x-ray test and not do the initial skin test. I can already see a quarter sized red patch on my hand and its been only 8 hours since she injected that stuff under my skin. She said this is very common with this test.

Cheers....
ML

actually u shouldnt have a positive ppd.. even though you had the BCG vaccine when u were born... The test should still not measure 10 mm..
BCG-induced reactivity (decreases with time, frequently gone after 1 year and is unlikely to persist for more than 10 years)...

so more than likely.. u should be ok..
otherwise if for some reason u do test positive.. ull just just have to get a cxr

Very common. From what I hear, most RRTs (Registered Respiratory Therapist) test positive for the skin test. All it means is that you have been exposed to the antigen, and your bodies has developed antibodies to the bacteria, NOT that you have ever been infected. The CPAAL (Cx XRay) is the preferred diagnostic test to rule out previous or current Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, I believe.

It shouldn't affect your application.

I know if you were born in africa when some of us were born you would have recieved the Bcg vacine and sometimes will test positive but like the earlier post stated that is nothing to worry about, once you have the xray and they stat you are ok

I never had the vaccine, but I still test positive. I've had a chest X-ray done, and I don't have Tb...I've just been exposed to it at some point. It's never stopped me from doing any work in the medical field, so I'm sure you're fine.

In most other countries in the world, you are given a TB vaccine when you are young so you will probably test positive if you come from one of those countries. I tested positive because I had the vaccine a long time ago so all they did was give me a chest X-ray and wrote on the form that I didn't have TB. AUC was fine with it.

I suppose there's always prophylactic isoniazid...

Seriously, if your CXR is negative, you should be fine.

Aloha,

Thanks Everyone!

I'm not really worried about whether or not I could have TB, I'm sure I'm OK. I was just worried that it would screw up my application.

I was really relieved to read your posts.


Thanks!

WantMD :-)

If given the BCG you may well test positive for TB.

As said before, as long as your CXR is clear, then you should be fine. G