$50 PPD Test Near Me. 2 Step PPD. 2 step TB Test For TB $100

A PPD Test is a skin test that uses purified protein derivative (PPD). The PPD Test determines if you have been exposed to tuberculosis (TB). Tuberculosis is a disease that you get from inhaling air exhaled by a person who was infected with TB. It is NOT a diagnostic test and does NOT confirm that you have the disease. It only shows prior exposure. Tuberculosis is a chronic lung infection, caused by a slow growing bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PPD stands for purified protein derivative.

The purpose of the PPD screening test is to diagnose exposure to tuberculosis (TB), a common problem in NYC.

An annual PPD is required for everyone working in NYC Housing Department, NYC Office of Mental Health, NYC public schools, and colleges because exposure to TB is a risk in a cosmopolitan city like NYC where immigrants from all over the world come to live.

PPD screening is also done by healthcare facilities like hospitals, labs, home health agencies, and nursing homes to screen for exposure to TB.

For non-healthcare professionals, a PPD screening test may be required as part of a pre-employment physical or as an annual PPD screening for exposure to tuberculosis.

A PPD is almost like a skin allergy test that identifies if your body has seen the tuberculin protein from an exposure to TB. It is a special test required by employers, health care facilities, day care centers, schools, and colleges.

Come to Statcare for your PPD because a PPD needs to be done correctly. A special fine syringe is used to inject the tuberculin into the skin. The tuberculin has to be injected intradermally (within the layers of the skin) and not subcutaneously (a common mistake that gives erroneous results). It is important to get it done right because once you have it done incorrectly, you cannot change the fact that your test showed that you were exposed to the PPD protein.

A 2-step PPD is the same PPD repeated again and is considered to be a far better screening test for exposure to tuberculosis.

There is no preparation required for this test. It is a common mistake to think that the PPD test can be done in one visit. You will need two separate visits to Statcare for completing the PPD test.

At the first visit, the health care provider will clean the skin of your forearm. Then, using a small PPD syringe, the provider will inject about 0.1 ml or 5 tuberculin units of the PPD protein into the skin. The needle is gently placed under the top layer of skin, causing a small bump (welt) to form. This raised bump will go away within a few hours as the tuberculin gets absorbed. Once you reach home, you may peel off the bandage and are free to shower and bathe.

There is a very small chance that some folks will have a severe redness and swelling of the skin where the tuberculin protein was injected. This usually happens more in people with a previous positive PPD test and mistakenly end up having the test again. This reaction to tuberculin protein will rarely occur in people without any history of prior PPD exposure.

PPD tests are usually for pre-employment purposes and are not covered by health insurance plans. Statcare charges $40 for performing the PPD skin test for TB as well as reading the TB test results ($40 covers the two visits). We accept cash and credit card payments.

Yes, Statcare’s USCIS-certified civil surgeons perform immigration medical exam (Form I-693). We do pre-employment PPD’s and much more. Learn more about our immigration medical exams and Green Card physicals.

Statcare is a one-stop facility for PPD’s and Chest X-Rays in Astoria, NY and Hicksville, Long Island. We also have locations in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Tuberculosis screening is a 2-3-day affair and involves 2 visits, which means you can’t just get it done close to a weekend if your doctor’s office will be closed that weekend.

However, Statcare offers the most convenience in Long Island and Astoria, NYC when it comes to PPD’s because:

• You don’t need an appointment. Just walk in! Get the PPD done whenever it is convenient for you.
• You can return in 48-72 hours at a time convenient to you and have it read – all 7 days a week.
• Statcare is open every day, even on holidays. 7 days a week.
• Statcare is open all evenings. This makes it very convenient for you to come to our urgent care after work.
• Statcare has an X-Ray machine on site. Need to get a Chest X-Ray? No problem! We can do it right away. All our X-rays are read by a radiologist. No trips to an X-Ray facility for a Chest X-ray. No appointments either!
• Better still, we even complete your forms at the time of the reading of the tuberculin test and give it to you before you leave!

Any wonder why healthcare professionals (nurses, nursing aides, home attendants) from Nassau, Suffolk, and Queens come to us all year-round for their annual TB test? Statcare providers are US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)-certified civil surgeons for immigration physicals in Astoria, NYC and Long Island.

Statcare does PPD tests all 7 days a week. Statcare is open even on holidays. You can walk in and get the PPD test done and return in 2 days for a PPD check. When you return in 48 hours, your forearm will be examined and your form can be completed on the spot. At Statcare, you never have to wait!

Testing for TB can have unplanned consequences. If you had the PPD done elsewhere but your doctor’s office is now closed for the weekend or holiday and you need to have the PPD read today to avoid repeat testing, then you can surely come to Statcare.

We not only do PPD tests all 7 days a week; we also read the PPD Tests for TB all 7 days a week. And we are open till 8 PM on weekdays and 5 PM on weekends so you never have to rush from work!

However, if you had the PPD testing done elsewhere and just need to have it read by us, you will still need to register as a patient and a medical chart still needs to be created for you.

If you have prior records of a recent PPD test and merely want it transcribed, attested, or updated, Statcare providers will complete this as well for you at the time of your visit. Statcare does PPD testing for employees of the NYC Office of Children and Family Services (day care and child care), NYC employees of the Housing Authority and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Statcare can fill out your forms at the same visit as well or provide you with a standard PPD testing form to give to your employer.

If you have no prior history of the test or have had a negative PPD readingpreviously, then Statcare’s medical professionals will inject the tuberculin protein into your forearm skin at the first visit. Once the PPD is administered you will need to return in 48-72 hours for a follow-up visit.

At the second PPD visit, the tuberculin test reaction will be read. When you come back to us, let the front desk staff know why you are here and you will be fast tracked into a room. Your PPD will be recorded right away, and you can get done in the shortest possible time.

If you have a PPD form or a physical exam form that needs to be filled out, please bring it with you. Statcare providers will fill out your forms once the PPD has been read (second PPD visit).

If you need a chest X-ray for a positive PPD reading, Statcare has X-ray on site at each location. End-to-end PPD testing convenience at one location!

An abnormal or a positive PPD reading only means you have been exposed to the bacteria that cause TB. It does not mean you have disease. You may need further investigation with a chest X-ray to identify if there is any evidence of active disease in the lungs.

After that, treatment may be given to lower your risk of eventually getting TB (reactivation of the disease). A positive skin test for tuberculin does not mean that you have active tuberculosis disease. It only shows that you were exposed to the bacteria that cause TB. More tests need to be done to identify if there is active TB disease.

If you have a newly positive PPD, you will need a chest X-ray. Not to worry, we can do the chest X-ray right away and have it read by a radiologist as well.

Statcare does more PPD tests than most other medical offices and all our providers understand the various cutoffs for a positive PPD.

A 5-mm induration is considered to be positive PPD test result for:

• Persons with HIV infection
• Recent contacts of persons with active TB disease
• Persons with evidence of old, healed TB lesions on chest X-rays
• Persons with organ transplants and other immunosuppressed persons, including those receiving prolonged corticosteroid therapy (the equivalent of >15 mg/d of prednisone for one month or more) and TNF-a blockers

A 10-mm induration is considered to be positive PPD test result for:

• Persons who have immigrated within the past 5 years from areas with high TB rates*
• Injection drug users
• Persons who live or work in institutional settings where exposure to TB may be likely, such as hospitals, prisons, homeless shelters, SROs, and nursing homes
• Mycobacteriology laboratory personnel
• Persons with clinical conditions associated with increased risk of progression to active TB, including: silicosis; chronic renal failure; diabetes; more than 10% below ideal weight or BMI < 18.5; gastrectomy/jejunoileal bypass; some hematologic disorders (such as leukemia and lymphomas); and certain cancers (such as carcinoma of the head, neck, or lung, leukemias, and lymphomas)
• Children < 5 years, and children or adolescents exposed to adults in high-risk categories
• Persons with prolonged stay in areas with high TB rates*

A 15-mm induration is considered to be positive PPD test result for:

• Persons at low risk for active TB disease for whom testing is not generally indicated

* Countries with high rates of TB include China, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, and all of Africa.

You must alert your provider regarding a prior positive PPD result because you may not need any repeat PPD testing for TB and may qualify for a waiver. You will still need to be seen at Statcare, as we cannot determine this over the phone.

If you have ever had a positive PPD skin test and/or have a chest X-ray report, please bring it with you. Our front desk staff cannot answer your medical questions. Save them for the provider when you come for the visit.

Yes. As discussed earlier, a PPD test can have different cutoffs based on size and be read as a positive PPD reading or a negative PPD reading. This is why going to the right place can make all the difference.

A positive PPD reading or a negative PPD reading depends on your medical condition, age, risk factors, and also the reason the PPD test was done. For example, USCIS has a different cutoff for immigration purposes. NYC Department of Health has its own guidelines for NYC as tuberculosis is more common in NYC.

You can review the CDC publishes for PPD reading based on the medical diagnosis, age, and other risk factors.

A 2-step PPD is when two PPD tests are done sequentially with a gap of 7-10 days between the first and second PPD. A PPD test is not a perfect screening test for TB and in about 20% of patients it can be falsely negative. This means there is a chance that the person has been exposed to TB but the PPD testing did not pick it up.

A 2-step PPD skin test improves the detection of exposure to tuberculosis with more accuracy. A 2-step PPD has a false negative rate of about 5%. Usually, all healthcare facilities and nursing homes require a 2-step PPD test. However, if your employer does not require a 2-step PPD, there is no reason to do a two-step PPD test.

The NYS DOH guidelines state:

“When the TST (tuberculin skin test) is used, two-step PPD testing is recommended as a baseline for newly hired employees. For two-step PPD testing, persons whose initial TST result is negative are given a second TST, administered 1-3 weeks after the first TST was placed.

The two-step test is needed at baseline because in some persons with latent TB infection, the reaction to a TST wanes over time. The initial TST may ‘boost’ responses to a subsequent test. In the absence of a known exposure, a positive reaction to the second step of a two-step TST is considered to be due to boosting as opposed to recent infection with M. tuberculosis.

A second TST is not needed if an employee has had a documented, negative TST during the previous 12 months. If an IGRA test is used for screening, there is no need to perform a two-step baseline. The TST reading(s) and/or the IGRA laboratory report should be documented in the employee health record.”

A two-step PPD is read the same way as a 1-step PPD. The redness and the induration are measured and documented. There has to be a 7-10 day gap between the first and the second PPD of the 2 step PPD series.

Yes. You need a Chest X-Ray if any of the PPD turns positive. So, if your first PPD is read as a positive PPD, you don’t need to do the second PPD in the 2-step PPD series. Instead, you will need a Chest X-Ray for the positive PPD reading. Also, for healthcare workers and other non-immunocompromised patients, a negative PPD reading is any induration 10 mm or less. However, for Immigration Medical Exam purposes, any PPD more than 4 mm is considered to be a positive PPD reading. A lot of doctors fail to write the mm and the record just shows a positive PPD reading or a negative PPD reading – this is insufficient for Immigration Medical Exam paperwork.

There is a relatively new and expensive blood test called IGRA, which has been available for testing for TB and screening for exposure to tuberculosis for a few years now. Statcare can draw your blood and send it for the IGRA test once you have pre-paid for the test. It is also called a Quantiferon Gold Test.

Tuberculosis screening may be done with any approved test to detect M. tuberculosis infection, such as the tuberculin skin test (TST), or one of the whole blood interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Interferon-Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs) or Quantiferon Gold Test for TB

As per the CDC “IGRAs are used to determine if a person is infected with M. tuberculosis by measuring the immune response to tuberculosis proteins in whole blood. Specimens are mixed with peptides that simulate antigens derived from M. tuberculosis and controls. In a person infected with M. tuberculosis, the white blood cells recognize the simulated antigens and release interferon-gamma (IFN- γ); results are based on the amount of IFN- γ released.”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the following IGRAs in the United States:

• QuantiFERON®-TB Gold, 2005
• QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube test (QFT-GIT), 2005;
• T-SPOT® TB test, 2008

Some advantages of IGRAs include the following:

• IGRA requires just one visit for TB testing. IGRAs are therefore the preferred method of testing for groups of people who have poor rates of return for TST reading and interpretation (e.g., homeless persons).
• IGRAs do not cause booster phenomenon.
• IGRA results can be available earlier than 48 hours.
• IGRA is unaffected by environmental mycobacteria.

Some limitations of IGRAs include the following:

• The blood sample must be processed within 8-30 hours after collection.
• Data is limited when used in children younger than 5 years of age, persons recently exposed to TB, immuno-compromised persons, and those who will be tested repeatedly (serial testing).

IGRA Result Interpretation

The interpretation of IGRAs varies by type of IGRA test performed.

• QFT testing is based on the amount of IFN-γ released.
• T-SPOT TB testing depends on the number of cells that release IFN-γ.

Labs provide both the qualitative and quantitative IGRA results.

• Qualitative IGRA results are reported as positive, negative, indeterminate, or borderline.
• Quantitative IGRA results are reported as numerical values that include a response to the TB antigen and 2 controls, nil and mitogen.

In countries where TB is common, BCG (Bacillus Calmette–Guérin) vaccine is used to protect infants and young children from serious, life-threatening disease, specifically miliary TB and TB meningitis.

BCG vaccination is not given in the United States. The effect of BCG vaccine on tuberculin skin testing (PPD) results may cause confusion. It is thought that the tuberculin skin test reactivity caused by BCG vaccine gets reduced with the passage of time. However, periodic and repeated skin testing may boost the reactivity to PPD.

The CDC recommends that all PPD positive results be interpreted based on risk stratification regardless of BCG vaccination history.

A person with a history of BCG vaccination therefore can be tested and treated for latent TB if they test positive for a PPD.

IGRAs use M. tuberculosis antigens that do not cross-react with BCG, and therefore, do not cause false positive reactions in people who got BCG in their countries. However, IGRA is an expensive blood test and the data in repeatedly tested individuals is lacking. IGRA is therefore not routinely recommended as a testing modality to screen for TB.