Tuberculosis Testing 

Clinic Times:
Monday 8:00 am - 11:00 am
Return for TB read on Wednesday, 10:00 am - 11:00 am.

Skin Testing for Employment or School
Certain individuals may require a tuberculin skin test (Mantoux) for employment or school attendance. Skin testing is conducted for residents of the City of Canton. Effective 3/1/2010, there is a $5.00 fee for a Mantoux test (See Resolution 2/2010 linked here). No individual will be turned away for inability to pay.

A Mantoux screening tells if someone has been exposed to active TB disease. If the screening test is positive, a nurse checks for risk factors and sends the client for a chest x-ray (off-site) to determine if the person has active TB disease or latent TB infection.

If you get a skin test, you must come back to have someone read your skin test 48 hours after your test is placed. After 72 hours (the third day), the test expires, and must be repeated in order to get a result. Please take careful note of the schedule given to you when you receive your test so that you do not miss your reading time.

Latent TB Infection
If a person does have latent TB infection, they may be given medication to treat this condition. Medication is prescribed and followed by your primary care physician. A public health nurse may contact you on a monthly basis to review possible side effects to the medications and provide you with information about latent TB infection.

Directly Observed Therapy (DOT)
The Direct Observed Therapy (DOT)/Outreach Program provides a public health nurse and other direct care services to treat active TB disease patients in a place convenient for them. This is done to make sure that they complete their treatment.

DOT staff also provides TB outreach to people at-risk for TB and works with family members and close contacts of active TB disease patients, checking them for disease/ exposure and providing them medications if needed.