The nurse assesses a client in the local neighborhood clinic. He exhibits signs and symptoms of tuberculosis (TB) yet has a negative tuberculin skin test result. The nurse suspects that the physician may further test the client because he:

Question

A) Visited Central America recently
B) Is recovering from jet lag
C) Is HIV positive
D) Works in a factory setting

Answer 1

Ans: C
Feedback:
Active TB infection is characterized by a chronic productive cough, low-grade fever, night sweats, and weight loss, along with a positive purified protein derivative (PPD) tuberculin skin test result. People with active TB are contagious. However, certain people who are anergic (lack an immune response to an antigen) may not have a positive PPD (e.g., persons with HIV). Having visited Central America recently, recovering from jet lag, and working in a factory setting would not produce a false negative result on the tuberculin skin test.