Tb Testing (iom)

[benjamat]

Hello everyone, I have just found this forum, looks really excellent to me, heres my problem.

My wife went to "iom" to have tb test prior to getting spousal visa for uk.

She initially had skin test then xray , followed by sputum test, the test has failed and she has just completed 6 months of treatment through a local hospital.

We are told that she must now wait 2 weeks and then take another sputum test.

The sputum test seems to take 8 weeks before results. So far we have waited 2 weeks over general tests, 8 weeks sputum test, 6 months treatment. This adds up to 9 months with the 2 week wait and we must then wait another 8 weeks for sputum test. All in all failing the initial test will mean that we will have had to wait 11 months before applying for visa.

By the way, after the initial fail she went to another hospital and was pronounced clear but the visa people will only accept certificates from "iom"

Is there any way to get the visa without waiting what will be now another 10 weeks for the clear cert from "iom".

Many Thanks

[benjamat]

Hi, I am aware that there is much on tb here but I cannot seem to find info on procedures.

Thanks

[Mossfinn]

Is there any way to get the visa without waiting what will be now another 10 weeks for the clear cert from "iom".

If an applicant is not issued with a certificate because they have been found to have infectious TB, or refuses to produce one, but insists on making an application, you should accept it. But the application should be refused unless there are compelling compassionate circumstances. If you refuse the application, any other applicable reasons for refusal should be included in your refusal notice.

Link

[Mossfinn]

She initially had skin test then xray , followed by sputum test, the test has failed

Which test did she fail?

Sputum cultures is the best way of determining TB from what I can remember and to be sure, again if I remember rightly, if it doesn't grow in 49 days you either haven't got TB or you have successfully treated the buggers in most cases.

By the way, after the initial fail she went to another hospital and was pronounced clear but the visa people will only accept certificates from "iom"

It happens, I passed the Mantoux test, another skin test whose name temporarily escapes me and blood tests, just because the second hospital missed it, doesn't mean your partner didn't have it.

[Dakhar]

You need to have the Quanti Feron Gold test done. It is the latest test for TB. If she tests "negative" this means that your girlfriend etc. does not have TB, no way no how. If that is the case there would be no need for the wait etc.

Google Quanti Feron Gold. Bumongrad offers it, I think Vichayut and a childrens hospital can do it too.

They really do not do the test, they collect the sample and send it off to a lab.

Any how, the test is around 3-6K baht... but worth it.

[benjamat]

Thank you evryone for your comments, much appreciated.

I am happy for my wife to have the Quanti Feron Gold test if it means she can come to uk sooner.

I wonder if iom will accept this test, I will get my wife to ask them about it.

Many Thanks,

By the way, for the benefit of others reading this, upon success of 6 month treatment you must wait a further 2 weeks after finishing medication before sputum sample can be taken, I understand this is to make sure your system is clear of medication before sputum sample taken. It all adds more and more time to the process you must go through if you fail the initial test.

[benjamat]

Is there any way to get the visa without waiting what will be now another 10 weeks for the clear cert from "iom".

If an applicant is not issued with a certificate because they have been found to have infectious TB, or refuses to produce one, but insists on making an application, you should accept it. But the application should be refused unless there are compelling compassionate circumstances. If you refuse the application, any other applicable reasons for refusal should be included in your refusal notice.

Link

Thank you mossfinn for your input.

Can you tell me where you got this quote please. many Thanks.

[benjamat]

Is there any way to get the visa without waiting what will be now another 10 weeks for the clear cert from "iom".

If an applicant is not issued with a certificate because they have been found to have infectious TB, or refuses to produce one, but insists on making an application, you should accept it. But the application should be refused unless there are compelling compassionate circumstances. If you refuse the application, any other applicable reasons for refusal should be included in your refusal notice.

Link

Thank you mossfinn for your input.

Can you tell me where you got this quote please. many Thanks.

Ah, the link you posted has finally worked, thanks again.

[benjamat]

After a lot of digging it is clear now that with the present systems and regulations there is very little chance of speeding up or getting around the problem of having to wait around 11 months to get TB clearance.

I feel it is worth saying that wherever an organisation has a monopoly of services there is very little motivation to improve the process. I am quite sure that there are people who are having to bear this inconvenience when they never had TB in the first place and my research across the web strongly confirms this. It is of course right that TB is kept out of the UK as much as is humanly possible but as with all governmental type organisations a black and white approach leaves people with the feeling that they are not being treated fairly.

With the new test "Quanti Feron Gold" the testing could be done safely and quickly, I wonder how long before it is taken up.

Well, now thats off my chest I can settle down to another 10 weeks of waiting before applying for visa.

[Nampeung]

Just for interest's sake Benjamat - Currently more than 500 people a year die of TB in the UK and their are nearly 9,000 known cases as we speak

[benjamat]

Just for interest's sake Benjamat - Currently more than 500 people a year die of TB in the UK and their are nearly 9,000 known cases as we speak

Really, I didnt know that.

gets me thinking along the lines of "back door ways to reduce immigration".

My wife and I would have been more than happy to pay fpr her testing and treatment in the uk but of course the option is not available.

One small point, how many of the fatal cases or known cases are uk permanents as opposed to immigrants.

[benjamat]

An update on my wifes progress with her tb treatment and hopefully some information.

My wife has now reached what we thought was the end of her testing and treatment process, 10 months in all !

She called to ask about getting certificate of all clear after final 8 week sputum test and was told that she will now have to undergo another test. This test entails giving sputum samples for 3 succesive days.

I do not understand why she has to have yet another test and can find nothing on any sites showing all the test sequences and outcomes.

We have so far waited 10 months and are getting a little fed up with all of this now.

Can anyone enlighten me as to the test sequences and reasons / possible outcomes.

many thanks.

[phaethon]

Just for interest's sake Benjamat - Currently more than 500 people a year die of TB in the UK and their are nearly 9,000 known cases as we speak

FYI: UK Health Protection Agency 2008 report:

Full Report

Edited November 21, 2008 by phaethon

[Nampeung]

Very interesting thanks Phaethon

[benjamat]

This just gets worse and worse.

You can see from earlier posts that we have been waiting more than ten months already for my wife to get the paper for all clear.

She finished yet another test today ( 3 consecutive days sputum test ) She was told that she was free of tb BUT, she must now wait another 8 weeks and take another test to confirm all clear. Let me say again what tests and treatment she has had.

Skin test

X-Ray

3 day sputum test

8 week sputum test.

6 months course of treatment.

Another 8 week sputum test.

Another 3 day sputum test.

Now wait another 8 weeks and another test of I dont know what.

At no stage has she been diagnosed with active TB.

She was diagnosed with inactive TB which is present in 30% of the population.

The test showing inactive TB is notoriously unreliable and gives both false positives and negatives.

This sequence of events cannot be right, I have trawled the net and nowhere does it indicate this level of testing.

We still dont have the paper and dont know when we will get it. She has been told she is clear of TB but must wait in Thailand for another 8 weeks with the encumbant risk of contracting again before another test.

Help Anybody.

[FBN]

This just gets worse and worse.

You can see from earlier posts that we have been waiting more than ten months already for my wife to get the paper for all clear.

She finished yet another test today ( 3 consecutive days sputum test ) She was told that she was free of tb BUT, she must now wait another 8 weeks and take another test to confirm all clear. Let me say again what tests and treatment she has had.

Skin test

X-Ray

3 day sputum test

8 week sputum test.

6 months course of treatment.

Another 8 week sputum test.

Another 3 day sputum test.

Now wait another 8 weeks and another test of I dont know what.

At no stage has she been diagnosed with active TB.

She was diagnosed with inactive TB which is present in 30% of the population.

The test showing inactive TB is notoriously unreliable and gives both false positives and negatives.

This sequence of events cannot be right, I have trawled the net and nowhere does it indicate this level of testing.

We still dont have the paper and dont know when we will get it. She has been told she is clear of TB but must wait in Thailand for another 8 weeks with the encumbant risk of contracting again before another test.

Help Anybody.

This indeed sounds confusing.

Initially, another poster asked which initial test was positive; was that sputum?

If so, with a positive skin test and/or X-Ray, she would have been regarded as an active TB and given several drugs at the same time (DOTS).

The course of treatment (6 months or more) would be followed up with the same series of tests as initially done. Skin test will now not be reliable but sputum and X-ray is critical.

Sputum tests consist of two actual tests. One is a smear of the sputum stained with a special chemical process and shows the bacteria under direct microscopy (result within days). The second test is a sputum culture. This is an attempt to grow the TB bacillus in a special growth medium. Unfortunately, this test takes about 8 weeks as the bacteria grows very slowly.

This is what may be required for the visa, I am not sure but it may be worth while to check this out at both the hospital and the visa section. Try also to contact the relevant UK authorities for requirements. (Unfortunately I have no links to offer at this time.)

Note on the Gold Standard Quantiferon test: This is quite sensitive and specific and is of value in endemic populations or in people who have been given the BCG vaccine. A positive Q-test will mean LATENT TB only, not active TB. The WHO recommended management in this case is 6-9mths of INH only.

In your case, it is really essential to get the initial diagnosis: Latent TB (Negative XR, Neg Sputum, Pos Skin test and/or positive Q-test) or Active (open; infective) TB (All tests pos.)

[FBN]

The "TB Testing" thread closed as it contains the same posting as this.

Please continue discussion here.

Apologies; the moderation option did include an option for a short note on that thread but the cyber thing intervened!!

[benjamat]

Thank you fbn,

I have now talked to the actual doctor who has ordered more tests and he informs me that the initial tests were positive. My wife was under the impression that the initial tests were negative for active TB.

The 8 week and 3 day sputum tests are as you say simply checking the effectiveness of the treatment. The extra tb test is required by the foreign office, it seems that medically it should not be required but is a beurocratic requirement.

Thanks again.

Edited November 28, 2008 by benjamat