Tuberculin Skin Tests
Mantoux Test, TB Skin Test
Why It Is Done
A tuberculin skin test is done to find people with tuberculosis (TB), including:
- People who have been in close contact with someone known to have TB.
- Health care workers who are likely to be exposed to TB.
- People with TB symptoms, such as an ongoing cough, night sweats, and weight loss for no reason.
- People who have had an abnormal chest X-ray.
- People who have had a recent organ transplant or with impaired immune systems, such as those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
A tuberculin skin test should not be done for people who have a:
- Known TB infection.
- Positive tuberculin skin test in the past. A second test may cause a more severe reaction to the TB antigens.
- Skin rash that would make it hard to read the skin test.
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| Author: | Douglas Dana Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS | Last Updated: July 25, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Alfred A. Lardizabal, MD - Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine/Tuberculosis | |
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| Topic Contents | |
| Test Overview | |
 | Why It Is Done |
| How To Prepare | |
| How It Is Done | |
| How It Feels | |
| Risks | |
| Results | |
| What Affects the Test | |
| What To Think About | |
| References | |
| Credits | |