Final answer:
A positive TB screening test necessitates further evaluation with a chest X-ray and potentially a sputum smear and culture. Treatment for confirmed TB involves a combination of antibiotics, and must be taken as prescribed to prevent drug resistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a student's TB screening test is positive, the next step is not to immediately start treatment with anti-TB medications. A positive TB screening, such as the Mantoux tuberculin skin test, only indicates that the person has been exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Due to the possibility of false positives, especially in individuals previously vaccinated with the BCG vaccine, a chest X-ray is generally performed to confirm the diagnosis by looking for signs of TB infection such as Ghon complex formation.
Additional tests may include a sputum smear using the Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique to detect the presence of acid-fast bacilli. A culture may also be necessary for a positive identification of M. tuberculosis.
Once a definitive diagnosis of TB is made through these tests, the doctor will recommend a treatment regimen which usually involves a combination of antibiotics such as isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide.
The treatment must be followed rigorously to avoid the development of multidrug-resistant strains of TB, such as MDR-TB and XDR-TB.