In your 移民体检 101: "有的大夫知道你以前是阳性的时候，会略去 TB 一步，直接让你照片。同学们注意啰，这种情形下不止有一个同学后来被 RFE 要补做 TB 的".
Is that statement still true for now because your post was back to 2007? I get confused after I had physical exam today. I told the doctor that my skin test was positive 11 years ago. so he decided NOT to do skin test for me. Instead he told me that he will do IGRA and once the IGRA result is available he decides if I have to do X-ray. I argued with him but he insisted on it after he read to me the Part 2, A section in the latest form I-693:
Tuberculosis (TB): An initial screening test, either a Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) or an Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) is required for all applicants 2 years of age and older; for children udner 2 years of age, see Technical Instructions at http://cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/civil.htm. The civil surgeon should perform one type of initial screening test only, followed by further evalution, if needed (chest X-ray).
So I gave it up and followed the doctor's advice. My first question: Is the doctor's decision correct?
Once I came back, I checked this site http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/pdf/tb-ti-civil.pdf page 10 and 11 it says:
People for Whom a TST is Required and Specific Exceptions to the TST
1. A TST must be performed on all applicants 2 years of age or older, regardless of pregnancy or previous immunization with BCG vaccine. There are two exceptions:
• Applicants who have written documentation of a previous TST reaction of 5 mm or greater of induration (with the signature of a health-care provider) need not be retested. In such a case, the applicant will need a chest radiograph to evaluate for TB disease. A verbal history of a positive TST reaction from the applicant is not acceptable.
• Applicants who report a severe reaction with blistering secondary to previous tuberculin skin testing need not be retested. In such a case, the applicant will need a chest radiograph to evaluate for TB disease.
If the TST is not administered for one of these two reasons, the civil surgeon should not check the box next to “Tuberculin Skin Test” in Part 2, Section 2A of the I-693 form. Instead, the civil surgeon should clearly state the reason for the exception in the “Remarks” portion of Section 2A.
If either exception exists, the civil surgeon should follow the recommendations and requirements for referral of applicants to the health department (in Table I of this section) based on the prior skin test result and the current chest radiograph reading.
2. Applicants younger than 2 years of age are required to have a tuberculin skin test if there is evidence of contact with a person known to have TB or other reason to suspect TB.
That technical instruction says that an applicant does not have to do skin test if he has written documentation of a previous TST reaction of 5 mm or greater of induration. Here question again: Am I qualifed for the first exception even though I did not have any written documentation for that?
In all, do I need to convince the doctor to do skin test for me?
Thank you so much for your help!