How do they perform Tuberculosis...

[angelgirl123414]

...Testing??? What kind of needle do they use?? Some people say they use a normal needle and some say it is like a little pricker. How do they test you for Tuberculosis?

[Yersinia pestis]

It's called a Mantoux TB test. They inject TB antigens (perfectly harmless) just under the surface of the skin and if you've had an infection before you will have a reaction to the antigen. This is because your body will already have the TB antibodies stored up from prior infection so they respond to the antigen. This causes extreme swelling in the testing area.As for the needle, it's very small and barely hurts at all. I get this tests every 3 months since I work in a laboratory neighboring a TB facility. They're really not all that bad. Hope that answers your question!

[medcenman]

T.B. test could be done by using any kind of needle. usuall they use a 4our headed pricker!!! don't worry it won't hurt at all. they have to put some dead T.B. under your skin to see if your body reacts to it. if it swells up after a day or two, that means your body was exposed to T.B. sometime during your life. If you are old and from 3rd world country, the chances are you were vaccinated for T.B. and that is why you test positive.