how long after exposure to tb would a skin test be accurate?!
Question:
I was exposed by a patient in the er, he is now positive for active tb, this was a week ago
Answers:
2 to 12 weeks between exposure and seroconversion (when it can be detected)indicated by a positive PPD. Have you reported the exposure?
If you do end up with a positive test, the treatment is Isoniazid and Vitamin B6. Isoniazid uses up a lot of B6 that you get from food, so to avoid complications they are usually prescribed together. Generally you take one of each pill daily. While you are on the medicine you must avoid alcohol. The medicine is prescribed for anywhere from 6 months to a year. It is given one month at a time and to get the next month's supply you go back to the doctor for a check up to make sure you have no complications such as juandice or nerve problems. (Isoniazid can be rough on the liver.)
Chances are, as long as you are not immunocompromized, you will never develop an active infection even with an exposure. However, the disease is enough of a public health threat that the treatment regiment is prescribed as a prophylactic to avoid the active form of the disease in later years.
The treatment I described is the one I'm most familiar with. I believe there may be other antibiotics that are used. Make sure you talk with your doctor too! They can give you far better advice than you can find here.
Other Answers:
get tested now.. if you work in a hospital they will contact everyone who has had contact with such patience, the test takes a week to read.
My boyfriend is exposed fairly frequently, and has never come back positive.
i would go get tested right away
Immediately
That depends on your health. If you eat right, exercise right, and take care of yourself, I would get tested within a month. If you smoke, drink, or take any form of drug (prescription or illegal) I would get tested now.
get tested now. i was just tested monday and had it read wednesday. check with the health department for the incubation period. it is unlikely though that you will test positive.
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