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The Ins and Outs Of Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which mainly affects the lungs, although many systems can be involved. It is a contagious disease that spreads when an infected person coughs, sneezes or comes in close contact with healthy individuals.
Those people who have a weakened immune system or have contracted HIV or AIDS are more prone to contracting tuberculosis than individuals with a healthy immune system.
Active vs. Latent Tuberculosis (Explained With Symptoms)
Active tuberculosis means that the person has bacteria inside the body that is reproducing and spreading, causing symptoms. Since the germs are active, they can spread from person to person if they come in close contact.
On the other hand, latent TB infection is the one in which the germs are asleep (dormant), which means that they do not reproduce nor do they cause any symptoms. However, the bacteria might get active at any stage of life, become contagious and cause multiple symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, chest pain, fever and chills.
Active TB | Latent TB |
A person experiences symptoms such as
| A person has no symptoms and doesn’t feel sick. |
It can spread the infection by coughing, sneezing, or even talking. | It cannot spread from person to person. |
The tuberculin skin and blood tests are positive, and the chest X-rays might be abnormal. | The tuberculin skin and blood tests are positive, but there is a normal chest X-ray with no abnormalities. |
Needs treatment to recover from the disease | Needs treatment to prevent the germs from getting active and killing it inside the body |
Types of TB Testing at Urgent Care
There are three common types of tuberculosis testing done in urgent care clinics.
Blood Test: In this test, the healthcare provider checks the levels of interferon-gamma produced in your body due to infection. A high level in test results indicates that you have an active or latent TB.
Tuberculin Skin Test: This test is done by injecting a fluid (called tuberculin) into the skin of the forearm. If there’s swelling of a lump on the injection site within 2 or 3 days, it means that you are positive for TB.
Chest X-rays: Your doctor might order a chest X-ray at the start of treatment or even during the treatment to evaluate the spread of infection in your lungs if you have an active TB infection.
How Can Family Urgent Care Help In TB Testing & Diagnosis?
If you are experiencing any symptoms like cough, chest pain, fever, weight loss or any other unusual symptoms, you need to get yourself tested for tuberculosis. You can visit Family Urgent Care in Indiana or Illinois as we operate in multiple locations: Rogers Park, Lincoln Park and Schererville.
At Family Urgent Care, we offer accurate and reliable TB testing which includes tuberculin skin test and blood tests for a proper diagnosis.
All you need to do is book your appointment or walk into our clinic and receive prompt TB testing, diagnosis and treatment plan. If you need specialized care, you might also be referred to a specialized clinic or facility equipped for further evaluation and treatment.
