Tuberculosis (TB) Test

Do you need a tuberculosis test for work, school or paperwork? At Clínica Hispana Nueva Salud La Porte we place the PPD skin test with no appointment, read it 48 to 72 hours later and give you the written result, all explained in Spanish or English.

How the PPD test works

Day 1, placement. We inject a small amount of tuberculin just under the skin of your forearm. It takes less than five minutes and forms a tiny bubble that fades in a few hours. Do not cover it with a bandage, do not scratch it, and shower as usual.

Day 3, reading. You come back 48 to 72 hours later. We measure the induration in millimeters, meaning the firm area, not the redness. That determines the result, which we hand you signed, with the date and lot number, ready for your employer or school.

If you do not return within that window, the test is no longer valid and has to be repeated from the start. That is why we give you the exact reading date before you leave.

Who usually needs it

• Healthcare workers, caregivers, nursing assistants (CNAs) and daycare staff
• Nursing, medical and technical-program students
• Teachers and school staff
• Plant, construction and food-service workers when the employer requires it
• Volunteers at shelters or churches
• Paperwork that requires proof you do not have active tuberculosis

The immigration medical exam (I-693) uses a specific blood test instead of the skin test; we coordinate it as part of our immigration exams.

Two-step testing

Many hospitals and home-care agencies require a two-step PPD at hiring: if the first test is negative, it is repeated one to three weeks later. We schedule both placements and both readings so you meet the requirement without mistakes.

What if it comes back positive?

A positive result does not mean you have active tuberculosis. It may be a latent infection, which is not contagious, or a reaction to the BCG vaccine that many people received as children in Mexico and Central America. In that case the physician reviews your symptoms, refers you for a chest X-ray and explains what document to submit in the meantime. If you had the BCG vaccine, tell us at the start so we can guide you better.

TB testing in La Porte, 7 days a week

Because we are open every day, the reading is easy to fit in: placed on Monday, read on Wednesday or Thursday; placed on Thursday, read on Saturday or Sunday. Find our medical center at 9606 Spencer Hwy Ste D, La Porte, TX 77571, open Monday to Saturday from 9 AM to 9 PM and Sunday from 9 AM to 7 PM. No health insurance needed and the price is flat; call us for it before you come. We serve workers and students from La Porte, Deer Park, Pasadena, Shoreacres, Morgan's Point and the greater Houston area.