Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne disease caused by an infection of the lungs caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria.
Many employers in public-facing industries are required to ensure that their employees are not infected with active tuberculosis. We offer both the TB skin test and the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold blood test for determining if an individual has tuberculosis.
The QuantiFERON®-TB Gold blood test (QFT-G) is an alternative blood test for use as an aid in diagnosing Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (both latent tuberculosis infection and active tuberculosis disease). The test is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an aid for detecting latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
As a diagnostic test, QFT:
- requires a blood draw
- can be accomplished after a single patient visit
- assesses responses to multiple antigens simultaneously
- does not boost anamnestic immune responses
Compared to the TB skin test, QFT results are less subject to reader bias and error.
We require patients receiving tuberculosis tests to receive a physical at the time of the test. Patients are encouraged to advise our staff if they are a positive reactor prior to testing.
