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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Does Positive Gold Test Result And Low ESR Level Indicate?

Hi My friend had fever recently. His doc advised him for Gold test for TB. Gold test came out to be positive. But the ESR is low around 6mm. His physician says he has tuberculosis while when he went for second opinion doc says that he does not have tuberculosis. What is your opinion. Regards Aditi
Mon, 1 Sep 2014
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Radiologist,  's  Response
Hi,
Thanks for writing in.

TB Gold test is to detect any past infection of TB and does not confirm active TB. The clinical symptoms of TB are cough for more than two months which does not respond to usual antibiotics with significant weight loss and evening fever. The patient can also have swollen lymph nodes in the body at the armpits or groins. If the ESR is 6 mm then TB is less likely but ESR cannot be believed all the time. I suggest he goes to a pulmonologist who may ask for certain tests like chest X ray and put him on higher antibiotics. TB treatment should be started only if he has significant clinical features of the disease and does not respond to higher antibiotics.
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What Does Positive Gold Test Result And Low ESR Level Indicate?

Hi, Thanks for writing in. TB Gold test is to detect any past infection of TB and does not confirm active TB. The clinical symptoms of TB are cough for more than two months which does not respond to usual antibiotics with significant weight loss and evening fever. The patient can also have swollen lymph nodes in the body at the armpits or groins. If the ESR is 6 mm then TB is less likely but ESR cannot be believed all the time. I suggest he goes to a pulmonologist who may ask for certain tests like chest X ray and put him on higher antibiotics. TB treatment should be started only if he has significant clinical features of the disease and does not respond to higher antibiotics.