
Further testing such as chest X-rays or sputum analysis needs to be done to determine this. Limitations:Ī positive test cannot be used to determine if a person has an active infection or a dormant infection. A positive result for a person who does not have any risk factors is a swelling of 15 mm in diameter. Individuals recently arrived from a country where the disease is very prevalent or people working with the bacterium in the lab may show a raised area of more than 10 mm in diameter. Patients who have a suppressed immune system or who have been in contact with a person who is ill with TB can show a swelling of more than 5 mm in diameter.
BRUISE POSITIVE BRUISE NORMAL NEGATIVE TB TEST PICTURES SKIN
Appearance:Ī positive result from the test is a hardened swollen raised area on the skin of a certain size depending on the history of the person being tested. It is the raised part that is measured, not the extent of the redness that is present.

The measurement needs to be taken across the arm at right angles to the long axis of the arm, and the measurement is done in millimeters. After 48 to 72 hours the patient needs to return to have the raised area that occurs measured. Here the white blood cells, the T cells, will arrive and release chemicals called lymphokines that attract more immune system cells and cause swelling of the area. The idea is that if you have been exposed to a TB infection that your immune system will quickly rush to the site of the injection. This is actually a protein that has been extracted from the bacterium and carefully modified and purified. Method:Ī special syringe is used to inject 0.1 ml of tuberculin into the skin.

What is Positive TB skin test? Definition:Ī positive TB skin test is when the Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST) indicates that a person has the tuberculosis bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis in their body based on the appearance of the skin prick test after 48 to 72 hours. A negative TB skin test is when the result indicates that bacteria that cause tuberculosis are absent.

A positive TB skin test is when the result indicates that bacteria that cause tuberculosis are present.
