Diagnosis and Management of Tuberculosis

There are two kinds of tests used to detect TB bacteria in the body: the TB skin test and TB blood tests. A positive TB skin test or TB blood test only tells that a person has been infected with TB bacteria. It does not tell whether the person has latent TB infection (LTBI) or has progressed to TB disease. The most commonly used diagnostic tool for tuberculosis is a skin test, though blood tests are becoming more commonplace. A small amount of a substance called tuberculin is injected just below the skin on the inside of your forearm. You should feel only a slight needle prick. The germs are spread through the air and usually infect the lungs, but can also infect other parts of the body. Although TB is infectious, it doesn’t spread easily. You usually have to spend a lot of time in contact with someone who is contagious in order to catch it.