What kind of jobs require a TB test?
Asked by: Gus O'Connell | Last update: February 18, 2026Score: 4.2/5 (13 votes)
Jobs requiring a TB test primarily involve working with vulnerable populations or in high-risk environments, such as healthcare (hospitals, clinics, home health), childcare, correctional facilities, and homeless shelters, due to increased risk of transmission. The CDC recommends testing for anyone in these settings, including doctors, nurses, EMS, lab workers, and even volunteers.
Why do some jobs require a TB test?
You need a TB test for work primarily to ensure you aren't unknowingly carrying or spreading tuberculosis (TB), a contagious lung infection, to vulnerable patients, clients, or other staff, especially in healthcare, education, or social services where close contact is common. It protects the public and coworkers by identifying latent or active TB infections early, preventing outbreaks, and ensuring you're healthy enough to work in a public-facing or sensitive role, complying with health regulations.
Why would someone need a TB test?
You may need a TB test if you have: Symptoms of TB disease. Spent time with someone who has active TB disease. Factors that put you at higher risk of developing active TB disease.
Can you refuse a TB test for a job?
In the end, the employer likely has a legitimate, non-discriminatory business purpose for requiring the TB test. Therefore, it can require submitting to the test as a condition of employment and can terminate at-will employees for refusing.
Do you need a TB test for work?
current CDC recommendations. Pre-employment and post-exposure TB testing of staff is crucial to help stop the spread of TB and keep employees and communities safe.
Is TB Testing Required For Certain Jobs? - CountyOffice.org
How often does an employee need a TB test?
(A) TB tests and other forms of TB assessment shall be provided at least annually, and more frequently if applicable public health guidelines or the local health officer recommends more frequent testing. Employees with a baseline positive TB test shall have an annual symptom screen.
Is TB shot mandatory?
The tuberculosis vaccine is recommended only for those children living with someone with TB who either cannot take the antibiotics required to treat the infection or who is infected with a strain that is highly resistant to all antibiotics.
Who does not need a TB test?
You will not need a TB test if any of the following apply: you're a diplomat accredited to the UK. you're a returning UK resident and have not been away for more than 2 years. you're coming on a scheme to support people from Ukraine.
What are the new TB rules?
In short, the new requirements are that:
They must also be moving from a herd that has been tested in the last six months; If they do not fulfil both these requirements, they must then be tested, either within the 30 days prior to movement or within 30 days after movement into the new herd.
How much does a TB test cost in the US?
In the USA, the cost for a TB test without insurance typically ranges from $40-$75 for a skin test (PPD) and $75-$350 for a blood test (IGRA like QuantiFERON), with variations depending on location, clinic type (urgent care, health center, lab) and if follow-up (like a chest X-ray, which costs extra) is needed. Many insurance plans cover necessary TB screenings, but self-pay options are available, with prices often lower at community health centers or through discount platforms like MDsave.
What are 5 early warning symptoms of tuberculosis?
Five early warning symptoms of tuberculosis (TB) often include a persistent cough (over 2-3 weeks), fever, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue, though symptoms vary by body area and can also involve chest pain or coughing blood/sputum.
Will I lose my job if I have a positive TB test?
No, a positive TB test usually won't make you lose your job, but it requires follow-up (chest X-ray, doctor visit) to rule out active TB; if it's latent TB, you can often keep working, especially with proper treatment, but if you have active, contagious TB, you must stay home until cleared by a doctor to prevent spreading it, with employment status depending on your role (healthcare/high-risk jobs have stricter rules).
What is the main reason to get TB?
The main cause of tuberculosis (TB) is the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, spread through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks, releasing germs that others can inhale. While many people infected with the bacteria develop latent TB (inactive) and don't get sick, their immune system can't fight it off, leading to active TB disease, especially if their immunity weakens from other illnesses, stress, or certain medications.
What jobs require a TB shot?
Healthcare and Hospitals. Healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities, prioritize TB testing due to the high risk of exposure. Medical staff, including doctors, nurses, and support personnel, are required to undergo TB testing to ensure patient and staff safety.
Are TB tests necessary?
TB testing and screening are essential for public health. Since TB can be deadly and spreads from person to person easily, it's important to get tested if you have symptoms, are at high risk for developing active TB, or you're at high risk of being exposed to the infection.
How common is it for healthcare workers to get TB?
The prevalence of tuberculosis among healthcare workers was found to be 15.92% [95% CI 8.49–27.88|I2 = 99% | p = 0]. Female sex was associated with 1.37 times higher odds of infection [95% CI 0.68–2.38, I2 = 80%, p = 0.01]. Advanced age increased the odds by 1.47 times [95% CI 1.33–4.62, I2 = 76%, p = 0.01].
Can I be fired for having TB?
Tuberculosis has been considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Protection under the ADA means that an individual who has or has had TB cannot be denied employment or fired because of his or her current or previous infection.
At what age is a TB test given?
TB testing can start at any age, but different methods are preferred: the skin test (TST) is common for young children (under 2-5 years), while the blood test (IGRA) is often recommended for older children and adults, especially if they've had the BCG vaccine, as IGRAs avoid false positives. Risk assessment for TB begins at birth, with testing recommended for those with risk factors, but a negative test doesn't always rule out infection, and a positive result needs further evaluation like a chest X-ray.
Did Jeremy Clarkson's cows get TB?
Jeremy Clarkson has had to cull the first calf born on Diddly Squat after his Cotswolds farm was struck by an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis. The Clarkson's Farm star revealed that the cow had been pregnant with twins when it caught the disease earlier this summer.
Do all jobs require a TB test?
While TB disease is rare and most employers are not required to have their employees tested prior to employment, those working in professions with an increased risk of contracting the disease and/or with vulnerable populations often are.
Who shouldn't get a TB test?
TB skin tests are not contraindicated for any other persons, including infants, children, pregnant women, or people with HIV. TB skin tests should not be performed on people who have written documentation of a previous positive TB test result (TB blood test or TB skin test) or treatment for TB disease.
Who is at high risk for TB and should be tested?
People at high risk for Tuberculosis (TB) exposure and infection include: Close contacts of persons exposed to contagious cases of TB. Foreign-born persons, including children, who have immigrated within the last 5 years from areas that have a high TB incidence.
Do all healthcare workers have to be tested for TB annually?
Tuberculosis (TB) screening programs for health care personnel are part of TB infection control plans. CDC recommends all U.S. health care personnel should be screened for TB upon hire. Annual TB testing is not recommended unless there is a known exposure or ongoing transmission.
When did they stop giving the TB vaccine in the US?
Roles. From autumn 2005 the long running routine programme to vaccinate schoolchildren against tuberculosis with BCG vaccine will stop.
Why do they not do TB tests anymore?
The CDC updated their rules in 2019 and now says routine annual TB testing is not needed unless there is a known exposure or ongoing transmission at a healthcare facility.