JBL EMT Practice Exam

What could a positive tuberculin skin test indicate ten days after treating a TB patient?

1. Active infection needing immediate treatment

2. Exposure to another infected person

3. Disease dormant but asymptomatic

4. Contracted by casual contact

The correct answer is: Active infection needing immediate treatment

A positive tuberculin skin test can indicate active infection needing immediate treatment ten days after treating a TB patient because the immune system develops a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction when exposed to the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. This response typically takes a few days to develop after exposure. Therefore, a positive skin test shortly after being in contact with a TB patient indicates an active infection that requires prompt treatment to prevent the development of symptomatic disease and to reduce the risk of transmission to others. Exposure to another infected person (option B), disease dormant but asymptomatic (option C), and contracting TB by casual contact (option D) are not the most appropriate interpretations of a positive tuberculin skin test shortly after treating a TB patient. These options do not directly correlate with the significance of a positive skin test in the context of a recent exposure to an active TB case.