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Respiratory Disorders 2
2 Respiratory
Case Study 18 Tuberculosis
Difficulty: Beginning
Setting: Public health clinic
Index Words: tuberculosis (TB), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, diagnostic test, risk
factors, public health, assessment
X Scenario
You are a public health nurse working at a county immunization and tuberculosis (TB) clinic. B.A. is a
61-year-old woman who wishes to obtain a food handler's license and is required to show proof of a neg-
ative Mantoux (purified protein derivative [PPD]) test before being hired. She came to your clinic 2 days
ago to obtain a PPD test for TB. She has returned to have you evaluate her reaction.
3. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends screening people at
high risk for TB. List five populations at high risk for developing active disease.
• Medically underserved populations.
• Recent immigrants from countries with high prevalence of TB.
• Persons who have had domestic or occupational contact with infectious TB cases.
• Alcoholics and IV drug abusers.
• Residents and staff of acute and long-term care facilities, prisons, detention facilities, homeless
shelters, and residential facilities for AIDS patients. Some employers may require proof that a
person does not have TB before he or she is hired.
• Individuals with chronic disease who are immunosuppressed or have multiple comorbidities.
• Medical personnel who work in the microbacteriology lab.
• TB blood tests (also called interferon-gamma release assays or IGRAs) measure how the immune
system reacts to the bacteria that cause TB. A TB blood test requires only one visit to draw blood for
the test. The QuantiFERON-TB Gold test (QFT-G), QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test (GFT-GIT), and
T-SPOT.TB test are three Food and Drug Administration–approved TB blood tests. Test results are
generally available in 24 to 48 hours.
• You measure the area of induration (not erythema), which is defined as a hardened area under the
skin. The area is measured transverse to the long axis of the forearm.
• The CDC has the following guidelines for positive Mantoux reaction:
• A PPD induration greater than 5 mm is considered positive for persons with, or at risk for, HIV
infection; those who have had close, recent contact with someone who has infectious TB; or
persons who have a CXR that shows old, healed TB, patients with organ transplants, and people
who are immunosuppressed for other reasons.
• A PPD induration greater than 10 mm is considered positive for foreign-born persons from
high-prevalence countries; IV drug users; medically underserved, low-income populations;
residents of long-term care facilities; people with chronic illnesses; mycobacteriology lab
personnel; and all children and adolescents.
• A PPD induration greater than 15 mm is considered positive for all other persons.
6. What additional information would you want to obtain from B.A. before interpreting her
skin test result as positive or negative?
• Obtain a social history: ETOH ingestion, prescription or illegal drug use, smoking history; note
domestic and occupational conditions.
• Take a medical history: Exposure to TB, S/S of active TB infection, medications, PMH. Find out
whether she has had regular access to health care.
• Ask about current symptoms.
mm
10 20 30 40 50
B.A.'s test is positive because the area of induration is greater than 15 mm.
8. B.A. asks you what a positive PPD result means. How will you respond?
B.A. has been exposed to infectious TB. Because previous testing has been negative and this test was
positive, B.A. may have been exposed to active TB since her last negative Mantoux test.
9. What steps will need to be done to determine whether B.A. has an active TB infection?
First, B.A. will need a CXR. For persons with reactions greater than or equal to 10 mm and persons with
symptoms suggesting TB (e.g., cough, anorexia, weight loss, fever)—regardless of the size of the
2 Respiratory
skin-test reaction—this should be done within 72 hours. If the CXR is abnormal, and/or symptoms
compatible with TB are present, the patient should also have sputum smear and culture examinations.
At least three sputum specimens should be submitted. In the absence of spontaneous production
of sputum, suction of laryngeal or pharyngeal mucus is satisfactory if sterile water is used in clearing
the catheter.
11. What parameters are used to determine whether treatment should be initiated for LTBI?
Persons in the following high-risk groups should be given treatment for LTBI if their reaction to the
Mantoux tuberculin skin test is greater than or equal to 5 mm:
• HIV-infected persons
• Recent contacts of a TB case
• Persons with fibrotic changes on chest radiograph consistent with old TB
• Patients with organ transplants
• Persons who are immunosuppressed for other reasons (e.g., taking the equivalent of greater than
15 mg/day of prednisone for 1 month or longer, taking TNF-a antagonists)
In addition, persons in the following high-risk groups should be considered for treatment of LTBI
if their reaction to the Mantoux tuberculin skin test is greater than or equal to10 mm:
• Recent arrivals (less than 5 years) from high-prevalence countries
• Injection drug users
• Residents and employees of high-risk congregate settings (e.g., correctional facilities, nursing
homes, homeless shelters, hospitals, and other health care facilities)
• Mycobacteriology laboratory personnel
• Persons with clinical conditions that make them high risk
• Children under 4 years of age, or children and adolescents exposed to adults in high-risk
categories
Because B.A. does not fall in to any of these categories, she would not be a candidate for
preventive therapy, at this time.
The letter from Hockley read, they waited patiently until some mail
matter which had just come in should be sorted out. This took the
best part of an hour—a wait which to Mark and Frank seemed an
age.
But at last the little window was opened once more and the crowd
surged forward. Professor Strong was well to the front and presently
they saw him turn from the window with half a dozen
communications held aloft.
“Letters!” cried Frank. “Oh, if only they bring good news!”
The professor was soon beside them. There were letters for all, but
just then the interest was concentrated on a communication
addressed to Mark and another addressed to Frank. Both bore the
postmark of Kingstown, St. Vincent.
“My father’s handwriting!” cried Mark, in a trembling voice.
“And this is in my father’s hand!” came from Frank, falteringly. His
hand shook so he could not open the envelope. “Yo—you read it,
professor.”
Professor Strong did so. The communication had been written the
day before and ran in this wise:
“My dear son Frank:
“I am writing this in the hope that you are safe despite the
fearful volcano eruptions which have taken place in this
quarter of the globe. I know you were bound for St. Pierre,
but I have learned that by the goodness of an all-wise
Providence the Vendee escaped the eruption that
destroyed St. Pierre and all the shipping in that harbor.
“Mr. Robertson and myself have had a narrow escape
from death, and we do not yet know if we are entirely safe,
for the volcano on this island is now as active as that on
Martinique. We were within four miles of Mont Pelee when
the eruption of May 8th occurred. We escaped by what
was little short of a miracle, and were lucky enough to get
on a trading vessel bound for this port. I had my lower
limbs and feet considerably burnt, and Mr. Robertson
suffered from burns on his feet and on his left arm. But
none of the burns are serious, and we are resting here
quite comfortably. If we were well enough we would set
out in search of you, but as it is neither of us can do any
walking at present.
“I am sending this letter in duplicate to half a dozen ports
in this territory, and Mr. Robertson is sending similar letters
addressed to Mark. As soon as you receive a letter let me
hear from you, as both of us are anxious for news. And
also send word home if you are safe. Address me at the
Windsor Hotel, Kingstown, Island of St. Vincent.”
“Oh, how glad I am that they are safe!” murmured Frank, and then
he looked at Mark, who had been reading his own letter. There were
tears in the eyes of both and that look meant more than any words of
mine can tell.
“I must go to Kingstown at once,” said Mark. “I can’t be satisfied until
I see for myself just how they are faring.”
“And I will go with you,” answered Frank. “Perhaps the burns are
worse than we imagine. I know father. He wouldn’t want to worry
me.”
The matter was talked over by all, and in the end Professor Strong
agreed to see about passage to St. Vincent. Darry and Sam wanted
to keep with Frank and Mark, and the whole party sailed southward
the next morning at sunrise.
The run to St. Vincent, past the Island of St. Lucia, which, strange to
say, had entirely escaped the eruptions on both sides of it, was
made without anything unusual occurring. While still some miles
north of the island for which they were bound they could see the
smoke of La Soufriere and through the marine glasses took note of
some of the terrible damage done.
“It is very fortunate that no large city was located near this volcano,”
said Professor Strong. “No living thing could have escaped such an
outburst as has taken place here.”
When the vessel reached Kingstown harbor the boys could scarcely
wait to get ashore. They learned that the Windsor Hotel was in a
suburb, and hired a carriage to take them to the hostelry.
“There is father now!” cried Frank, as they entered the beautiful
grounds, and he pointed to a figure reclining in an invalid chair on
the veranda.
“And my father is there, too!” exclaimed Mark.
In another moment they were out of the carriage and rushing up the
veranda steps. As they came closer both Mr. Newton and Mr.
Robertson sat up to greet them.
“My boy!” cried Mr. Newton, and flung his arms around Frank. “My
own boy!”
“Mark!” came from Mr. Robertson, and his face broke out into a
warm smile of welcome. “We were just talking about you and
wondering if we would get a letter.”
“You don’t know how glad I am to see you, even like this, father,”
answered Mark. “We were afraid you had been burnt up.”
“Yes, and we went on a regular search for both of you,” broke in
Frank.
“And they came pretty close to losing their own lives in that search,”
came from the professor, as he shook hands.
“Then you went ashore—” began Mr. Newton, in wonder.
“Yes, we went volcano exploring,” said Darry.
“And we climbed Mont Pelee,” finished Sam. “I don’t believe we’ll
ever want to do it again.”
“No,” finished Mark. “Once was enough. Now we are all safe away
from it, I never want to see the island of Martinique again.”
And the others agreed with him.
Let me add a few words more, and then we will bring to a close this
tale of sight-seeing and adventures in the West Indies.
What Mr. Newton and Mr. Robertson had written in their letters
concerning their injuries was true. Although painful, none of the
burns were serious, and they were both doing as well as could be
expected. In a few days each was able to walk a little, and inside of a
month both were practically as well as ever.
For the time being all business in Martinique, and a good part of that
in St. Vincent, came to a standstill, and this being so nothing could
be done regarding the dyewood scheme the two gentlemen had had
in mind. Consequently the pair returned to the United States at the
first available opportunity.
“Take good care of yourselves in the future, boys,” said Mr.
Robertson, on leaving.
“And let the active volcanoes alone,” added Mr. Newton.
And all of the party agreed to heed the advice.
During the time spent in St. Vincent the boys made one trip
northward toward La Soufriere. But though they inspected the great
volcano from a distance they took good care to keep out of the zone
of fire.
“It’s a fearful spot,” said Mark. “Worse even than around Mont Pelee.
It’s a regular Inferno on earth,” and the others said the same.
At last came the day for the young explorers to leave St. Vincent.
Anxious to learn what had become of Hockley, who had not
answered a letter sent to Trinidad by him, Professor Strong engaged
passage on a vessel bound for Port-of-Spain.
“Hurrah, we are off at last!” cried Darry, as they set sail. “Good-bye to
the West Indies.”
“After all, the trip through the islands wasn’t so bad,” said Sam. “We
saw lots of interesting things.”
“I guess we shall see even more interesting things in the future,”
came from Mark.
“Of course, our sight-seeing isn’t half over yet,” added Frank. He was
right, and what the immediate future held in store for our young
friends will be told in the next volume of this “Pan-American Series.”
In that book we shall meet all our boys and the professor once more,
and learn of many things as interesting, curious, or exciting as those
related in these pages.
But for the present we will leave them, and also these ill-fated
islands of the Lesser Antilles, the fate of which even to-day seems
uncertain. Our friends made a happy group as they steamed rapidly
southward, and here let us say good-bye.
THE END
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been
standardized.
Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.
New original cover art included with this eBook is
granted to the public domain.
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