Tuberculosis Tests In Chandigarh Price, Normal Range, Procedure, Result
AN OVERVIEW
About Tuberculosis Test
Why are tuberculosis tests important?
Tuberculosis or TB is a bacterial infection that affects the lungs usually. But, the infection can affect other organs too like kidneys, spinal cord, or brain and this condition is known as disseminated tuberculosis. A tuberculosis test is often requested when people have visited places that have high TB infection rates or if someone is exposed to the bacteria over a long time.
Being an airborne infection, tuberculosis can spread fast. People being near infected patients can contract the infection, especially if the patient had coughed or sneezed, even from a distance. People already suffering from conditions like malnourishment or acquired immunodeficiency diseases are at greater risk of contracting Tb than a healthy person.
Diagnosing tuberculosis is not easy because the disease can often be latent or asymptomatic. The disease develops in three stages:
- Primary infection occurs when the bacteria is introduced for the first time within the persons body. This happens when the person gets exposed to the pathogen for the first time. The immune system often deals with this and the person might just carry the pathogen and not be contagious for others. This is the stage where identifiable symptoms are not seen.
- Latent infection occurs when some of the bacteria remain in the body even after the immune system attacks it. The infected person still shows no signs or symptoms that indicate they are infected with the tuberculosis bacteria. The person is not contagious. In fact, for most people with latent infection, the bacteria never activates again.
- Active infection occurs when the immune system fails to keep the bacteria from multiplying. While active tuberculosis can occur right after first exposure, especially for people already suffering from other health conditions, it is rare. For tuberculosis, reactivation occurs almost after 2 years of having the primary infection.
When to take tuberculosis tests?
When a latent infection becomes active, it starts showing symptoms. Often the symptoms can be mild or confused with other viral or bacterial infections. But, getting tested for tuberculosis is still essential because the infection often mutates early and becomes resistant to antibiotics.
The tuberculosis test is prescribed by doctors when patients show the following symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Having difficulty in breathing
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Fever
- Coughing up mucus or blood
- A sudden and unexpected loss of weight
- Night sweats
- Fatigue
- Particular regions of the body showing signs of infection dissemination
How are tuberculosis tests performed?
There are various stages of tuberculosis tests. The tuberculosis test is often suggested by doctors to people who:
- Show the symptoms mentioned above
- Are senior citizens
- Are infants with low immunity
- Already have HIV
- Are undergoing treatment that requires suppression of the
- immune system
- Have chronic kidney disorders
The tuberculosis test is done via two methods: A skin test and a blood test. These two tests are often used to conduct screening and monitoring of tuberculosis infection. The tuberculosis test price often depends on the number of tests a person has to undergo to understand the type and extent of the infection.
Skin Testing or the Mantoux tuberculin test is done by injecting inactive TB protein just under the skin. If swelling is seen then it indicates the presence of TB bacteria in the person. But, this test does not indicate if the tuberculosis present is latent or active.
Blood tests or interferon-gamma release assays are done to check for the presence of tuberculosis antigens. If the results are positive, further tests are required to understand the type of the infection and if first line drugs can be used for effective treatment.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQs
Are health workers required to opt for routine checkups?
Yes, health workers are required to opt for routine testing given their long-term exposure to the disease as they work to provide patients with care and treatment.
How to determine if tuberculosis is active or latent?
Latent tuberculosis is not determined unless the person opts for a skin or blood test.
What is drug-resistant tuberculosis?
When the pathogen develops resistance towards the drugs used for treatment, it is called drug-resistant TB. this can be due to missing multiple doses.
THINGS TO KNOW AFTER GETTING TESTED
Tuberculosis Tests In Chandigarh
Starts from 1445*
The tuberculosis test in Chandigarh consists of a series of tests that are used to identify the infection, its progress, and the effects of medication on the pathogen. Caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, the infection causes damage to the lungs aka pulmonary tuberculosis, and patients often develop difficulty in breathing. People who have any existing conditions like acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are also at risk of contracting tuberculosis. Getting a TB test near you helps keep the disease in check.