“I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for the TB Blood Test. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”
As a dentist and health care provider, I need to be tested for TB annually, as does my husband who is also a dentist. We are very familiar with the skin TB testing as we both have had that done annually since our dental school days. I will fully admit that I dread getting the TB skin test done because it itches me like crazy. However more than anything, it produced a false positive with my husband his forth year of dental school. During that time when he got the FALSE positive, he needed to take an unnecessary cocktail of drugs before going back to treating patients. It was the real pits! Now though, we healthcare professionals never need to worry about this because there is a new TB test- the TB Blood Test.
When I first heard about the TB Blood Test, I immediately told my husband, and both of us were more than excited. No more having to get the skin test done and us worrying about him showing up with a false positive , which is has done quite a bit since that day he got tested in dental school. Once you get a false positive, a previous TB vaccination could in fact be the culprit of this rather than the patient truly having TB. Big difference! When you get a false positive with the skin test, it shows as a raised bump which is hard to effectively diagnose. No more having an itchy and annoying rash when the nurse does the skin TB test. Long gone are those days!
The TB blood test allows you to get accurate results in just one visit leading to meaningful benefits. Rather than getting the skin test and having to get it read 48 hours later, with the blood test, you do not have to go back to the doctor to get the injection site checked out. This allows us more time, easy, and certainty in our everyday lives. I do not have to take time from my busy schedule to get the injection site checked because the blood test is one step and you are done. Also, it is the most accurate test for TB infection because there is no cross reaction with a previous TB vaccination. The result you get from the TB Blood test is the true result. Goodbye false positives!!
It is also very easy to get the TB Blood test. Only 3 ml of blood is drawn from the patient regardless of patient age/immune status. This makes it a lot easier for the general population, as well as the healthcare professionals, to get tested.
I truly can’t wait to get the TB Blood test at my office this year. This is a major scientific advance over the 110-year-old skin test, giving greater accuracy and a more reliable results for both you and your patients. The results are not subjective, but rather completely objective.
I for one was really excited to learn about an alternative to the traditional skin TB test that produces so many false positives. I feel very confident with the TB Blood test and am glad there is now a wonderful way to test for TB without ever having to worry about false positives. I know my husband is grateful too!
Horror stories abound about false positives on TB tests. It is a nightmare, described perfectly by you. The new TB blood test has been a long time in coming. Thanks for sharing this improvement in medical technology.
First, I love you in your dental uniform! Second, this is new info for me, I had no idea they had this type of TB test!
Thanks as always for the helpful info!
Mitch
I think this test is such a great thing! It’s easier and more effective. I had no idea that dentists need a TB test annually!
This really is great advancement for the healthcare field, it is so amazing how far things have advanced. I am now only reading about this the second time and still I am amazed!
This sounds like a better way to be tested. I would rather have a blood test in place of the skin test.
I have been hearing so much about this lately! I love that they give you accurate results and that they are easier to get!
When I worked in public health I had to get the TB test annually too. I also hated it. It is such an annoying test. This new blood test sounds much better! I’m so excited with how medicine is progressing.
I am very excited to hear this news too. I have been following this since I worked as a Resource Nurse for the Los Angeles School District for nearly 25 years. This will be so much better for everyone involved.
I’m very happy to hear that there is a new blood test for TB that doesn’t produce false positives. I think it’s wonderful that your husband and others will not have to take drugs unnecessarily.
I honestly thought that TB was a thing of the past. I was so wrong! Thankfully, this test exists.
You are not the only one. I thought the same!
I think this is way better than skin testing. Blood testing is more accurate and the process is easier.
I didn’t know that dentists had to get tested too! Definitely great info to share, since I was a pediatric nurse that had to get tested
I didn’t know there was a tb blood test! This is such a great idea to reduce the amount of false positives. I am so glad you shared this with us.