About Tuberculosis (TB)

[Guest shortstop_20]

I don't fully understand tuberculosis but I know that when I was 8 I tested positive and it was visible in my left lung. I had to take medication for a year and my lung went from abnormal to normal. A year after ending medication I was re-examinde and was found normal. All of this documentation has been submitted at MEPS and DODMERB. I am PPQ but fear that this will hinder me at Brooks. What do I need to know about Tb and it's effects on my Class 1 physical. Am I going to lose my pilot slot?

[Guest Liger]

i'm in the same boat, except that i never took the medication... will this be "discovered" at my fc1? i was never sick, and the doctor didn't seem to think that the medication was really necessary... but i guess the virus is technically still in my body. am i going to pass?

[Guest F16PilotMD]

Wow, this is a new one. Based upon what I read (see below) in AFI48-123, if your Tb is not 'active' and you have taken the appropriate medications in the past, you should be okay. If you did not take medications, you will probably either (i) have to take them to get in the USAF or (ii) be disqualified all together. I just don't know.

If you have a positive Tb test that is verified as a true positive for Tb that means your body was exposed to it and your immune system now has antibodies against the bacteria. I'm not an expert in this field, but I believe that anyone who converts to a "positive" should receive medication. The treatment course is typically very long and tough to stick with.

A3.38.14. Tuberculosis.

A3.38.14.1. Active tuberculosis in any form or location, or substantiated history of active tuberculosis

within the previous 2 years.

A3.38.14.2. Substantiated history of one or more reactivations or relapses of tuberculosis in any

form or location or other definite evidence of poor host resistance to the tubercle bacillus.

A3.38.14.3. Residual physical or mental defects from past tuberculosis that would prevent the

satisfactory performance of duty.

A3.38.14.4. Individuals with a past history of active tuberculosis more than 2 years before enlistment,

induction, and appointment are not disqualified provided they have received a complete

course of standard chemotherapy for tuberculosis. In addition, individuals with a tuberculin reaction

10mm or greater and without evidence of residual disease in pulmonary or non-pulmonary

sites are eligible for enlistment, induction, and appointment provided they have or will be treated

with chemoprophylaxis in accordance with the guidelines of the American Thoracic Society and

US Public Health Service.

A7.16.1.1. Pulmonary tuberculosis, including tuberculous pleuritis or pleurisy of unknown etiology with

positive tuberculin test.

[Guest Liger]

will they test for tb at the fc1 or brooks? i don't know if you can answer this, but if the disease is still in your body whether you take the medication or not, would they be able to tell if you took it? anyone else have experience with this?

[Guest F16PilotMD]

You will get periodic Tb tests in the USAF. Yes, it will be "positive" forever even if you took the medications after you converted. You will have to prove for the rest of your life that you've taken it because you will always be "positive" on Tb tests.

[Guest Bushmaster]

Dear folks,

I am a 27 year old soldier who serves with the Eighth US Army in Korea, I am hoping to go to flight program in the Army.

After we pcs'ed here to Korea, we had the regular PPD shot (TB test I believe) for the first time in my life they told me that I am positive. They said I didn't necessarily have it but I might have been exposed to it, or had a bad chest cold or something, that is why my PPD came positive, I am going to go to clinic tomorrow, here is what I wonder though, flight program requirements I just read says you can't have "tuberculous lesions" those are disqualifying. My mother in law is a nurse practitioner and told my wife to have an X-ray done, she had said they check for spots in your lungs... Are those lesions she was talking about, the spots in your lungs that would show in X-ray? If I have it and they put me on medicine, would it go away after medicine treatment? Or those lesions would stay all the time once you get it?

As a matter of fact I got a terrible chest cold, that turned into infection last year when I was in school with the Army in Virginia, in barracks that kind of thing happens due to low sanitary conditions. I was put on cold medicine first (wrong move, that is why I never go to sick call again, the motive is to make you feel better and put you on duty asap without treating the underlying problem) it got worse and my coughing which started last year November ended up giving me breathing problems by mid February, I went to the hospital because I was not able to breath, they said chest infection and put me on strong antibiotics. Now I never coughed up blood or anything, should I be worried...???

[Guest doctidy]

From wat you've written, I see no problems getting on flying status.

[Guest Bushmaster]

Here is the regulations put out for us, I am also wondering when they say lesions, do they mean active tuberculous lesions (like wounds) or scars left after healing from a chest infection??

2–23. Lungs, chest wall, pleura, and mediastinum

The causes for rejection for appointment, enlistment, and induction are:

.

.

.

s. Tuberculous lesions. (See para 2–34.)

2–34. Systemic diseases

The causes for rejection for appointment, enlistment, and induction are:

.

.

.

l. Tuberculosis (010).

(1) Active tuberculosis in any form or location, or history of active tuberculosis within the previous 2 years.

(2) One or more reactivations.

(3) Residual physical or mental defects from past tuberculosis that would preclude the satisfactory performance of duty.

(4) Individuals with a past history of active tuberculosis MORE than 2 years prior to enlistment, induction and appointment are QUALIFIED IF they have received a complete course of standard chemotherapy for tuberculosis. In addition, individuals with a tuberculin reaction 10 mm or greater and without evidence of residual disease are qualified once they have been treated with chemoprophylaxis.

4–18. Lung and chest wall

The causes of medical unfitness for flying duty Classes 1/1A/2/2F/2S/3 are the causes in paragraphs 2–23 and 4–2, plus the following:

.

.

.

c. Pulmonary tuberculosis or tuberculous pleurisy; except chemoprophylaxis for tuberculin test conversion only is not disqualifying.

So long story short the bold part above is what keeps me thinking, I had some terrible chest problems last year, and now I am PPD positive, I am trying to determine if I fell out from being eligible status. I want to find out what these tuberculous lesions they are talking about in the regs are and would I have them...

[Guest doctidy]

First - the regulation you put forward says, "Appointment, Enlistment, Induction"...not flying training. As for the wording...it doesn't sound like you fall into those categories.

Second - without seeing your chest x-ray, it is impossible to say what your "lesions" were. However, a good guess is you have never had "Active" Tuberculosis. "Active" TB doesn't just go away without specific multiple drug TB therapy (which couldn't have been the strong antibiotics you got because you take anti-TB drugs for 18 months).

I'd also like to set one comment straight. Doctors don't give cold medicine to just get you back to work. These are people who have dedicated their lives to trying to help people. While they were wrong about the severity of your chest problem, it wasn't because they didn't care.

[Guest Bushmaster]

Thanks for writing,

Originally posted by Rage_:P:

First - the regulation you put forward says, "Appointment, Enlistment, Induction"...not flying training. As for the wording...it doesn't sound like you fall into those categories.

Well let's read what it says,

The causes of medical unfitness for flying duty Classes 1/1A/2/2F/2S/3 are the causes in paragraphs 2–23...

...2–23. Lungs, chest wall, pleura, and mediastinum

The causes for rejection for appointment, enlistment, and induction are:

They cover each other. Hope that is clear.

Second - without seeing your chest x-ray, it is impossible to say what your "lesions" were. However, a good guess is you have never had "Active" Tuberculosis. "Active" TB doesn't just go away without specific multiple drug TB therapy (which couldn't have been the strong antibiotics you got because you take anti-TB drugs for 18 months).

Thank you, what you say make sense, since it was not a TB case, would an infection cause "tuberculous lesion"? I think the regs are talking about lesions that appear during active TB. Don't you think?

I'd also like to set one comment straight. Doctors don't give cold medicine to just get you back to work. These are people who have dedicated their lives to trying to help people. While they were wrong about the severity of your chest problem, it wasn't because they didn't care.

This is one of the common talks you can hear at B co. 1/222 AVN Ft. Eustis. You can ask any soldier that sick call doesn't help them with their problems, I have seen many soldiers with many different symptoms, including me, but all we got was the same set of medication, did we have the same diagnosis? I beg to differ. The doctor at the Army Hospital was quick to determine what the problem was, and correctly prescribed the medication which made me better in a week while the doctor at sick call gave me the same cold medicine while I was having the same symptoms earlier. You gotta realize that many people go to sick call for malingering purposes so we who seek real attention get the shaft due to their stupid behavior. What started in early November could have been treated in November, not in mid-Feb. I don't paint all the doctors with the same brush but that one at sick call didn't help us.

[Guest Liger]

what if you can't prove that you've taken the medications? what paperwork are you supposed to have?

[Guest doctidy]

Your only concerns should be:

1 - showing you were adequately treated

2 - showing you don't have any residual problems They will do this...perhaps with a chest X-ray and/or lung function tests. There's nothing you need to bring for this.

90%+ you will be fine

[Whitty]

I just found out today that I tested positive for my PPD (TB skin test) and that most likely I am going to be placed on a 9 month long medication regimen for latent TB. Appointement with the doc is next week but I am nervous about what this medication is and if taking it would prevent me from maintaining flying status. Anyone ever had past experience with this?

[afnav]

I just found out today that I tested positive for my PPD (TB skin test) and that most likely I am going to be placed on a 9 month long medication regimen for latent TB. Appointement with the doc is next week but I am nervous about what this medication is and if taking it would prevent me from maintaining flying status. Anyone ever had past experience with this?

I had a positive TB test back in '98 and went on Isoniazid for six months. It will produce a strain on your liver, but a lot of people have taken it with no serious side effects. Other than not being able to drink on my next deployment to Incirlik, it was no big deal. The good news is that you will never take that test again. Ever.

Unless they have changed the regs on it, you'll be okay.