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The Meaning of a Positive Tuberculosis TestThe most commonly used skin test to check for tuberculosis is the PPD. If you have a positive PPD, it means you have been exposed to a person who has tuberculosis and you are now infected with the bacteria that causes the disease. Do I have tuberculosis if I have a positive PPD test?Not necessarily. A person can be infected with the bacteria that causes tuberculosis
and not have tuberculosis disease. Many people are infected with the bacteria that causes
tuberculosis, but only a few people (about 10 percent) go on to develop the disease.
People who have the disease are said to have "active" tuberculosis. Would I know if I developed active tuberculosis?You might not know that you have active tuberculosis. Tuberculosis bacteria can grow in
your body without making you feel sick. Most people with active tuberculosis don't feel
well. People with tuberculosis often feel tired and have a cough that won't go away. They
may also lose weight, or have a fever, or break out in a sweat in bed (called "night
sweats"). They may have trouble breathing. Does a positive PPD test mean that I am contagious and can give tuberculosis to someone else?Not necessarily. After you have a positive PPD skin test, you must have a chest x-ray
and a physical exam to make sure that you don't have active disease and that you're not
contagious. What will I have to do if my skin test is positive?To be sure that you remain healthy, your doctor may recommend that you take medicine
for six months to kill the tuberculosis infection. If you don't take the medicine, the
bacteria will remain in your lungs, and you will always be in danger of getting active
tuberculosis. The medicine used to treat tuberculosis infection is isoniazid, which is
also called INH. You need to take one pill every day for six months. What if I forget to take my medicine?It is very important that you take the medicine every day. Keep the medicine in a place where you will always see it. Take it at the same time every day. Do I need to do anything else?Every month you will need to visit your doctor to get another prescription of the medicine you are taking and to be sure you don't have any side effects or complications from the medicine. If you are feeling well, your doctor will give you a prescription for the next month. It is important that you stop drinking alcohol while taking isoniazid (INH). Alcohol increases the risk of liver damage if you drink while taking the medicine. Could I still get active tuberculosis after I take the medicine for six months?Even after you take the medicine every day for six months there is a small chance that
you could develop active tuberculosis disease, because some organisms are resistant to the
medicine. Staying healthy depends on having sensible living habits. You need adequate
sleep and exercise and a nutritious diet to keep up your good health and resistance to the
tuberculosis bacteria. |
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