Thursday, March 13, 2014
A TB Skin Test is sometimes required for work/school
TB stands for Tuberculosis. It is an infectious disease that usually attacks the lungs. Although the incidence of TB is low in our area, it is important to prevent the spread of Tuberculosis and protect vulnerable people. As a way to protect vulnerable populations, a TB skin test may be required by employers, agencies, colleges and universities.
Tuberculosis is spread from person to person through the air, when people with TB cough, laugh, sneeze, sing, or even talk. However, to be infected with TB, a person usually has to have repeated contact with someone who has TB disease.
Signs and symptoms of TB disease include:
- Cough lasting 3 or more weeks
- Fatigue
- Night sweats
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Positive TB Skin Test
There is a difference between being infected with TB and having TB disease. Someone who is infected with TB has the TB germs, or bacteria, in their body. The body’s defences are protecting them and they are not sick. Someone with TB disease is sick and can spread the disease to other people. A person with TB disease needs to see a doctor as soon as possible.
World TB Day, March 24th, is designed to raise awareness that tuberculosis today remains an epidemic in much of the world, causing the deaths of several million people each year, mostly in developing countries.
Testing for TB can be done at the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit and at many doctors’ offices. It will require two trips - one to have the test done and one to have the test read and interpreted two to three days later. For more information about TB, visit www.healthunit.org/infectious/tb/tb.htm. or call 1-800-660-5853. For important public health updates, you can like our Facebook page.
Contact:
Margaret Hendricks, Manager of Infection Control and Vaccine Preventable Disease, 613-283-2740 ext. 4280
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