tuberculosis question - Infectious Diseases Message Board

momoftwo1128 · 04-30-2003, 09:53 PM

My husband was exposed some time in his life to TB. We didn't know this of course until he went for a job at the school district and was test positive on the skin test. Well the doctor sent him to have a chest xray which he came back negative on which means he does not have the disease Right? Well he started a job about 11 months ago and was discussing with someone who he works with about these tests (not thinking that it was a problem). Well it was brought to the managers attention because this co-worker was "CONCERNED" about his health, when this co-worker is a fire fighter so is exposed to all kinds of infectious diseases and after being told that my husband tested negative on the chest xray GO FIGURE. But anyway the company decided to send him for another chest xray for precaution which is totally understood. Well the test came back negative which means he still does not have the disease (RIGHT)? Well his boss calls him today and tells him that they are terminating him (well my husband asked this question) because he lied on his pre-employment screening. Well the question on the pre-employment screening is: Do you have or have ever had any of the following diseases with TB listed as one of the diseases. He checked off no because he does not have the disease and was told by his doctor that this was how he should answer any of these questions (since he does not have the disease). The question did NOT read Were you tested for these disease or have you been exposed to these diseases. Well today he was let go because of this and since I am a stay at home mom (not by choice) that this is just going to kill us. I am going through a bit of health issues myself which makes it impossible for me to interview (and that could be a whole other post) but I really need some help right now with my husband's issue and then if need be then I will let you know my issues if you really need to know. HAHA. But please help me if there are any medical professionals out there who may be able to help.

Thank you in advance.

Sarah68 · 05-01-2003, 04:21 AM

Did your husband ever have a TB vaccine as a kid? In England it was routine at the age of 13 years and I remember having one - I was born and bread there.

If he had the vaccine, then any skin ***** test will show positive, because he will have antibodies in his body from the vaccine.

If he did not and he was exposed to it at sometime, it is perfectly possible for this to happen. It is possible to be exposed to something and build up immunity to it without displaying any symptoms or having them so mildly that you do not even get sick. You don't have the symptoms, but you have the immunity. If your husband has the immunity to TB, then any skin ***** test will be positive, so if his x-ray came back clear, then no he does not have TB.

Is he is generally good heatlh overall? Does he have a cough, coughing up blood, weight loss, fever, night sweats or any other symptoms such as this, that may suggest TB infection or any such symptoms in the past that may indicate this?

TB can become muti-drug resistant, so needs to be treated according to the regimes. TB can be open or closed. Open TB is highly infectious and any patient needs to be kept in isolation and they have the symptoms. Closed TB is not infectious and active presently, but the patients still have some symptoms and may have had in the past and still require drug therapy.

Does your husband have a regular doctor that he can go and see, such as the doc who helped him complete the form for work? If so, get him to go along and get a complete physical work up with blood tests and this in conjunction with the x-rays will confirm or not the prescence of TB or should. Then try and get this doc to write a letter to the employers saying that your husband has been unfairly dismissed, does not have TB and did not lie on the form.

You could take this to a tribunal if you wanted for unfair dismissal, so you could look in to trying to get a good Attorney. With the help of your husbands doc and a good lawyer, you could get a fair result.

Hope this helps?

momoftwo1128 · 05-01-2003, 12:50 PM

I really appreciate your reply. He has had a complete physical and does have bronchitis and asthma so he does have a cough from those but that is it overall he is healthy besides that. We did contact a few lawyers and they say we have no case because he wasn't under any contract. I guess all we can actually do is move on and he just get a new job but in today's market that is tough. But thanks again.

Sarah68 · 05-02-2003, 09:56 AM

Hey, I'm real sorry to hear that and it is kind of hard if he was not under contract. If you sign a contact, then at least you have a leg to stand on.

Anyway, yes, it is the right thing to do to try and move on from it, but just for your own piece of mind, you could maybe get his doc to write a letter to his former employers saying that he does not have TB at all and was not lying on his medical form? That might help, so that he does not have further problems in the future. However, I am sure that he would not want to go back to an employer that has accused him of lying in the first place would he? I know that I wouldn't.

Anway, best of luck, take care.

momoftwo1128 · 05-02-2003, 10:39 AM

Absolutely, he wouldn't want to go back because now people would like at him like he does have the disease. Its depressing yes but of course things always turn out for the better. The only thing about it is that he really enjoyed this type of work. He is however looking for a similar company. It took him a very long time to finally find the job he liked (there were plenty horrible in-betweens) and now this happens. But thank you because you really helped me look past it.