A new way to test for Tuberculosis #TBBloodTest

Disclosure: I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of DiMe Media for the TB Blood Test all opinions expressed are my own

As you already know I am from Colombia. I love taking vacations to Colombia and my family comes along. I grew up hearing about Tuberculosis and I even had a tuberculosis shot when I was a baby. However I feel that people in the US are not aware of the risks of tuberculosis and might not even know a lot about it.

There are lots of infectious diseases out there which can cause a lot of trouble, from TB to shingles. But while you can use an OTC shingles treatment and pretty much be done with it, TB can often be quite severe, so it’s something that you will want to be aware of and try to know how to spot as early on as possible.

Tuberculosis is an airborne, highly contagious infectious disease that is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), that can spread through the air by a person infected with active disease. The bacteria is easily spread when the person sneeze, cough or even speak. It is estimated that 30% of the world’s population is infected with Tuberculosis.

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​The TB infection is usually chronic and inactive before becoming active. This state can persist for weeks, months or even years without any symptoms before developing into and active contagious disease. When it strikes, it primarily affects the lungs; however, it can also cause disease in any part of the body, such as the lymph nodes, bones, brain, and the eyes. Symptoms of Tuberculosis (TB) include fever, chills, night sweats, loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue.
 
When the infection is chronic (latent) means that person has the bacteria that cause TB in his or her body, but the bacteria are not causing any disease or symptoms. If you are diagnosed with latent TB there is a chance that the bacteria may cause disease in the future, so you are likely to be offered treatment to prevent this from happening.

TB continues to be a major health problem worldwide because

• 30% of humans are infected
• A new infection happens every 3 seconds
• Every  21 seconds, someone dies of TB
• Primary care physicians can and do make a huge difference in identifying and treating TB infection before it blossoms into active disease. 37 million lives have been saved between 2000 and 2013 through identification of infection and treatment.
• TB is a serious disease that kills about 1.5 million people each year worldwide. 

Every year during my son's physical I ask for a TB test to make sure he has not been exposed. Until now, having a TB test was a long process. You needed to have a skin test that required 2 doctor office visits and had a high number of false positives. 

The good news is that now there is a blood test available. This blood test has lots of advantages:

TB Blood Test

• The most accurate test for TB infection.
• No cross reaction due to a previous TB vaccination.
• Only 3 ml of blood needed regardless of patient’s age and immune status.
• The convenience of just 1 visit.

The TB blood test is a laboratory test that uses special blood collection tubes coated with antigens (small non-infectious bits of the TB bacterium) for blood collection and subsequent testing.  The ​a small blood sample is taken and then tested in a laboratory. There is no need to return to the doctor to get a result. Reliable results can be obtained within 24 hours and, if necessary, provided to you by telephone. 

The TB Blood Test seems like a no brainer. It just gives you peace of mind when you are talking about your family’s health you want something that is reliable and accurate. This is the best test also for kids in school age to make sure that the disease is not spread in schools. There is nothing better than being able to enjoy seeing your kids smile and be happy and know that they are healthy.

I test my son because I know he has been at risk, you should test your family because you do not know who they have been in contact with. TB blood test can save lives.