[GCS]

Girlie went in for her 3 year check up and to get her physcial forms for Pre-3 on wednesday. They TB tested her and I brought her back this am to read it. Started to get a little panicked when the nurse looked at her arm and ran off to get the dr. Never saw a doctor come into the room so quickly before in this office.

Turns out the test is positive and I am sent to the hospital for chest x-rays and to our county's health department to get the entire family tested and to see the TB specialist. All cases must be filed with the county here.

Turns out the x-ray showed the lungs are clear and she has no other symptoms. I had a few computer moments so googled false positive TB test and saw that the BCG vaccination can give a false positive for up to 5 years.

So...I am going through my court papers trying to find if that is indeed the vaccination they received in Russia. She has the scar from a vaccination and I believe that this was it, but I need to be sure and can't seem to find it in my paperwork anywhere.

Anyone have this answer for me?

And to top it off the poor baby has double ear infections and had to spend the day jumping from hospital to clinic to dr's office when she was crabby and out of sorts. Thank goodness she is sleeping now!

Thanks!
Christina

[Amysue1112]

Hi!
I am not sure exactly your question but I would not be too alarmed..it is not terribly uncommon to test positive for TB..it only means there has been exposure at one time or another. And since the chest xray was clean, that is good news. From my recollection, since she has tested positive with the skin test, she will always test positive so you will need the chest xray done in the future.
Hope she is feeling better!

[scandi]

My youngest, who I adopted from foster care also has a positive TB. His first was 2005 and was just redone this week. We are now trying to find out if he was treated the first time. Oh yeah, his chest exray was also clear. If he hasn't been treated he will receive Isoniazid for 9 months and then he should be fine.

It is something that has to be reported to public health agencies but when it is latent the treatment is supposed to be effective. At least that is what my doctor told me today.

[momm2be]

There is now a very specialized blood test they can do. Not all labs can do it, but I recall the "in PA" family posting about it.

I would highly suggest trying to get that test done. My DD was treated for 9 months with INH. She did not tolerate it very well- caused reflux. She was miserable and would cry in anticipation of the medicine ( at age 6).

[Remmy]

Our kids both had positive Manteaux tests for TB too. We did the INH (pills, as we hear they have less side effects than the liquid) for 9 months. The DR's at the IA clinic even set up an appointment with the a specialist to talk to us more about it. It was helpful to be able to meet with her and ask our questions, and get more information. (we are in MN)

The kids handled the INH fine, and did not have any side effects that we were aware of. They actually just swallowed the pill. We tried crushing it at first, but it was easier on us and them to just have them swallow the pill.

Good luck to you!

[mdaisyq]

One of my daughters from China also tested positive for TB. Yes,the BCG can cause a positive result, but it is the size of the raised welt from the skin test that signals if it is more than a BCG. Our daughter's welt was huge.She may have contracted TB before she had the BCG,so it would not have been effective.

I have to say I paniced when I heard the positive results. To make matters worse, her first chest X-ray came back with a dark mark on it. Triple panic mode. It turns out she wiggled during the X-ray and the next one was clean, but those were a few very stressful days for our family.

She was on the INH for 9 months and had no side affects.She was 20 months at the time, so we ground up the pill and mixed it with strawberry jam. She came to call her pill "good job," because that is what we always said after she had taken her pill.

Her inactive TB was a non-issue for us. She was able to start daycare while on the INH, with only a letter from our pediatrician stating that it was inactive.We were not required to report it to our county health officials.

[votemom]

it is my understanding the children in russia are vaccinated for TB. as a result, they will always test positive.

[Kasey]

I would also recommend getting the newer test as well.
Our first guy tested positive, as well, we did the CXR, re-tested in 6 months, met with pulmonary and ID specialist and opted for the INH treatment, just to be on the safe side. I didn't want to look back with regrets.

On her tests upon arrival home what was her TB result at that time?

We were also given the pills since we were told they were much better tolerated. No side effects at all, handled the treatment well.

[aimeemk]

Rheagan tested positive as well, she had the BCG vaccine only 6months prior. You are right they can test positive actually beyond 5 years. Did you check your referral paper work. That is were her results were. We were given the option to treat her for TB. But with her well documented health hx at her orphanage and the fact she did receive the BCG vaccine my doctor and our local health department advised against it.
She had a test x-ray and will continue to every 5 yrs until she (if she ever does) test negative.

She also has the BCG vaccine mark on her arm.

[aimeemk]

TB Skin Test Still Useful but Blood More Specific - CME Teaching Brief® - MedPage Today

[amanda_p]

Drew tested positive as well. He had to do 9 months of medicine. It stunk, but wasnt really that big of a deal.

Amanda

[GCS]

Thank you all for your feedback!

The QuantiFERON-TB Gold is the new blood test but it is not recommended in young children. I searched FRUA and found a recent thread on this where some have had that test done. Doctors do not find it accurate on small children so do not want to use it.

Now that the initial shock and panic have passed, it seems like this is fairly common in children from Russia that have had the BCG immunization. Somehow we didn't have this with my oldest, so I wasn't aware of it.

Thanks again for all the responses!

[Pinkie]

Christina, hope she's doing better today with her ear infection.

[Waiting4Skip]

No answers, just to say I hope you're all okay, and getting answers. Also, I know it is SO tempting to spend hours on the web, but it can be toxic...you can convince yourself of anything if you search the web long enough! Don't get me wrong, its a valuable tool, but, not at the exclusion of everything else! Thinking about and praying for you!

[angelkisses0102]

Yikes...how scary but sounds like you are dealing with it pretty well now that the shock has worn off. Hang in and update us when you can.