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Testing for Tuberculosis (TB)

Fact Sheet
Testing for Tuberculosis (TB)

A fact sheet describing the tuberculin skin test and Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) and what a positive test result means.

Author:

Mississippi State Department of Health, Mississippi State Department of Health, Tuberculosis Control Branch

Audiences:

Health Educators/Communicators, Medical and Nursing School Students

Topic:

Diagnosis, TB Skin Test, General TB Information, Training

Country of Origin:

United States

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Testing for Tuberculosis (TB)

In a question and answer format, this information sheet discusses testing for tuberculosis (TB). There are two kinds of tests that are used to determine if a person has been infected with TB bacteria: the tuberculin skin test (TST) and TB blood tests. It explains these two kinds of tests in detail: what is a TST, how does the TST work, what does a positive TST result mean, and who can receive a TST, what is an Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA), how does the IGRA work, what does a positive IGRA result mean, who can receive an IGRA, how often can it be given, and who should get tested for TB. The sheet concludes with how to choose a TB test and how the diagnosis of latent TB infection or TB disease is made.

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