Some people hear the word “tuberculosis” and feel that this is an ancient disease, but the truth is that people can have it and not even know it! TB testing (tuberculosis screening) is a requirement when you apply for certain jobs. Luckily, BSA CareXpress Urgent Care has you covered; we offer this simple test at all of our clinics.
The types of working environments where a TB test would possibly be required include, but are not limited to:
Health care settings (nursing homes, hospitals, etc.)
Chemical dependency settings (alcohol and drug rehab centers, residential treatment facilities, etc.)
Child care settings (child placing agencies, daycare centers, after-school programs, etc.)
Volunteer program settings (Working with teens, pregnant women, or in youth shelters, etc.)
It’s important to note that TB can be easily passed from one person to another through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, spits, laughs, or talks. In most cases, TB affects the lungs, but it is possible for it to affect other parts of the body. Without treatment, it can spread to parts of the body via the bloodstream. The good news is that most people with active TB can receive treatment. Most people who have received appropriate TB treatment for at least two weeks are no longer contagious.
As you can see from the list of jobs that may require TB testing, the people who are cared for in these places could have compromised immune systems already or be vulnerable to diseases. This is why TB testing is important.
If your job has required that you have a TB test completed to prepare you for work, visit one of our convenient BSA CareXpress Urgent Care locations.