"Class A or B (TB)...requires attn of USPHS at POE"

[ryandgracey 2]

Does the annotation on the visa "Class A or B (TB) Requires attn of USPHS at POE" mean that the results of the medical exam are valid for a shorter time? We were not advised anything regarding need to medicate nor length of validity. Vaccinations were given so that I surmised that there was nothing really wrong.

What are the implications of this annotation? We have an April 7, 2009 reservation...medical results released Dec 2, 2008.

Anybody in the know? Am impatient waiting for Monday to call SLEC...

[dbears 1]

Does the annotation on the visa "Class A or B (TB) Requires attn of USPHS at POE" mean that the results of the medical exam are valid for a shorter time? We were not advised anything regarding need to medicate nor length of validity. Vaccinations were given so that I surmised that there was nothing really wrong.

What are the implications of this annotation? We have an April 7, 2009 reservation...medical results released Dec 2, 2008.

Anybody in the know? Am impatient waiting for Monday to call SLEC...

Congrats on passing the interview.

Your daughter most likely will be Class B2 due to the positive skin test. But it is nothing to worry about, no need for medication for your daughter. About visa validity, i don't know if the same rule applies with Kvisas and CR/IR visas... my kids visa validity was 10 days shorter than mine but still almost 6months from our medical, just check and compare yours with your daughters. I don't think there will be problem with you both leaving april, that will still be the 4th month.

Both my kids were in the same category (B2 LTBI) and I had fears before that we would have problems at POE because of those annotations (and medical report contained in their visa packet). Our visa was issued may 29 and we left the Philippines Sept 3. We sure took a tad longer time at POE compared to people with no kids and without those annotations but it was still painless, the immigration officers just instructed us to call department of health within 1month of arrival for follow up test for the kids. Here was my POE experience if you want to get idea: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=150783&hl=

We have called department of health here, had gone for follow up tb test for the 2 kids, they had repeat xray which were negative again and we were given the option to let the kids undergo 9months (not 6months but 9months) antibiotic treatment for the "suspected tb infection (TB class B2)" which I promptly declined. The treatment was free but i am not comfortable with the idea of letting my kids take all those antibiotic for 9months. The medical worker did say that it was not absolutely necessary since my kids xrays were negative and they do not show any symptoms of being infected, the treatment was just precautionary since they had positive PDD test.

I know of one vj member whose kids are taking 9months tb medication, i just don't know if she was given the option to go for it or to decline... i don't know also if declining would affect our AOS application since we are yet to send it. We did receive tb clearance from our local department of health which i will be sending together with other AOS papers just in case.

Enjoy life in the Philippines to the fullest, I never thought i would say this but homesickness do kick hard when you get here. God bless always.

[ryandgracey 2]

Thank you very much for this info. Yes, I am a doc but when it comes to my child, the doc takes a back seat and the maternal instinct takes over. I still take her to the doc for a simple cough or cold, even if I know there is nothing serious, but it seems that I lose all my knowledge when it comes to her.

Yes, it was a good choice that you declined the option of giving your kids anti-TB drugs. These drugs have very notorious side effects and if it can produce effects in adults, how much more in children whose elimination system is not as well-developed as an adult. Is why I do not give my child any antimicrobial unless absolutely necessary, and most certainly not a strong one. Her immune system is pretty strong despite the frequent cases of cough and cold in the environment, esp in school. And she certainly does not lack appetite (she eats.....umm....3 meals and several snacks) which is the usual harbinger or Primary Complex or childhood TB. Was just alarmed by the annotation. Class A TB is infectious TB, after all, and would alarm anybody.

So, we wil have her go for a repeat X-ray once there, and whatever US Immigration tells us. Plus, we have reservations already and I am not so keen on a Feb trip....fares cost more too.

Again, thank you and have a very Happy Holidays!

[dbears 1]

Thank you very much for this info. Yes, I am a doc but when it comes to my child, the doc takes a back seat and the maternal instinct takes over. I still take her to the doc for a simple cough or cold, even if I know there is nothing serious, but it seems that I lose all my knowledge when it comes to her.

Yes, it was a good choice that you declined the option of giving your kids anti-TB drugs. These drugs have very notorious side effects and if it can produce effects in adults, how much more in children whose elimination system is not as well-developed as an adult. Is why I do not give my child any antimicrobial unless absolutely necessary, and most certainly not a strong one. Her immune system is pretty strong despite the frequent cases of cough and cold in the environment, esp in school. And she certainly does not lack appetite (she eats.....umm....3 meals and several snacks) which is the usual harbinger or Primary Complex or childhood TB. Was just alarmed by the annotation. Class A TB is infectious TB, after all, and would alarm anybody.

So, we wil have her go for a repeat X-ray once there, and whatever US Immigration tells us. Plus, we have reservations already and I am not so keen on a Feb trip....fares cost more too.

Again, thank you and have a very Happy Holidays!

Is the annotation on your daughter's visa really class A? if she has been given a class A annotation and she was not required to undergo sputum test and/or treatment maybe there was just a mistake. My kids had class B2 annotations which is not active, not infectious tb... and the recommended optional 9months tb treatment was just for "prevention" according to health department here, just in case the PDD positive result was not because of the BCG but real exposure to people with active tb... when you get here you just have to stand your ground. they read me some stuffs about tb and also the benefits of the preventive treatment (and only skimmed through the page on side effects )... i cut them off, i told them i already studied what i could about my kids case, i told them also that my kids never had any history of primary complex, that we don't live in squatters area or depressed areas in the Philippines, that there is no history of tb in my family and my kids go to a private school where exposure to tb was lesser compared to public schools and if they would really insist on my kids getting the treatment, they should at least give them another tb test, the "quantiferon-tb gold test" (which is available to big city department of health facilities but not in small cities like ours here).. i know anybody could be exposed to tb anywhere in the philippines but i just have to say something so they would stop pushing for the so-called 9months preventive tb treatment. When i first declined, they went out and discussed something (2health workers), then they came back and went at it again, i stood my ground and said the stuffs i just mentioned, they went out and discussed again and then came back and had me signed papers saying i declined the treatment and told me that should i change my mind, i could go for it anytime i want to. They also advised me that since quantiferon tb test is not available in their facility, i should try to get the it in a private hospital or any hospital in the bigger city just to eliminate any doubts. (i really ought to, wala palang time to go there and wala paring budget) I just said, ok and thank you.

department of health office standards and procedures vary slightly from state to state and county to county, just arm yourself with everything you know about tb and your child's medical history and you will be good to go.

i wish you the best and have a happy holidays.

[ryandgracey 2]

Ok...I just met with my child's pediatrician and discussed her case a bit. The pedia was, uhm, aghast to say the least when I told her that the child had a TST of more than 10mm which, by practice, is indeed positive. Now, given the child's age (she is 6), by the standards of the Philippine Pediatric Society, even with a negative Xray --- and I really do not know what her resutls are--- this is considered a positive indication of primary complex and a treatment course of at least 6 months is warranted. Primary complex, in itself, does not disqualify the child for a visa since the child is basically non-infectious, i.e. the child cannot transmit the organism. A child who has not had primary complex before will not get it from another child with primary complex but will rather get it from an infectious adult. She attends a private school in a private subdivision but that does not exempt her from getting the disease elsewhere. All children are at risk of getting the disease simply because they are in the Philippines. US docs do not have much experience in treating patients with Primary Complex nor TB because the disease is not that common in the US unlike here. The Phil Pediatric Society set up these guidelines on aggressive treatment because TB is a common occurrence here.

Now, back to whether my child is Class A...I do not know. The annotation is "Class A OR B (TB)". I read the CDC guidelines for the civil surgeon and it basically says that Class A is infectious and Class B is Latent TB, meaning non-infectious. My child was classified as either, which leads me to believe that they either do not know whether or nor she has an infection, or do not know how to classify her and are just playng safe. As per recommendation of the PPS, my child will undergo treatment with triple-drug therapy for 6 months. This should ease the minds of the USPHS knowing that she would be in her 4th month of therapy when we enter the US.

I am quite disappointed with SLEC though....I saw on the coats of those in the immunization and TST rooms and some say PEDIATRICS. As a healthworker, it is their responsibility to make the patient aware of whatever is going on. According to medical ethics, THE PATIENT HAS A RIGHT TO BE PRIVY TO HIS/HER MEDICAL RESULTS. And we were not given any. All we are told is, "You passed. Go an have your immunization." And then you see an annotation such as the one on my child's papers. I don't care if they are following the Panel Physician's guidelines. They are PHILIPPINE docs, for heaven's sake! They should still follow guidelines of treatment according to the local setting. And inform patients of whatever results they have.

[njaxfl 0]

Does the annotation on the visa "Class A or B (TB) Requires attn of USPHS at POE" mean that the results of the medical exam are valid for a shorter time? We were not advised anything regarding need to medicate nor length of validity. Vaccinations were given so that I surmised that there was nothing really wrong.

What are the implications of this annotation? We have an April 7, 2009 reservation...medical results released Dec 2, 2008.

Anybody in the know? Am impatient waiting for Monday to call SLEC...

B classification needs a treatment...you'll find that all true when you go to your POE and the Immigration officer will tell you about a health clinic which will contact you for your childs treatment and the validity date means you have to take in your child on or before that date to the health clinic close to where you reside here in the US but usually the letter from your local health area will contact you and give you an appointment.And if still confuses you,wait till you get to your POE and ask the Immigration officer who will handle you and your child in the quarantine area.SLEC wont give you any recommendation of tratment unless it's a postive lung TB which needs to be treated there in the Philippines and not iligible for visa untill cured!

Hope this helps you feel better.

[ryandgracey 2]

Is irrelevant to me now. Her pedia has started her on drug therapy and she will be in her 4th month when we enter the US.

[minang 0]

Thank you very much for this info. Yes, I am a doc but when it comes to my child, the doc takes a back seat and the maternal instinct takes over. I still take her to the doc for a simple cough or cold, even if I know there is nothing serious, but it seems that I lose all my knowledge when it comes to her.

Yes, it was a good choice that you declined the option of giving your kids anti-TB drugs. These drugs have very notorious side effects and if it can produce effects in adults, how much more in children whose elimination system is not as well-developed as an adult. Is why I do not give my child any antimicrobial unless absolutely necessary, and most certainly not a strong one. Her immune system is pretty strong despite the frequent cases of cough and cold in the environment, esp in school. And she certainly does not lack appetite (she eats.....umm....3 meals and several snacks) which is the usual harbinger or Primary Complex or childhood TB. Was just alarmed by the annotation. Class A TB is infectious TB, after all, and would alarm anybody.

So, we wil have her go for a repeat X-ray once there, and whatever US Immigration tells us. Plus, we have reservations already and I am not so keen on a Feb trip....fares cost more too.

Again, thank you and have a very Happy Holidays!

Is the annotation on your daughter's visa really class A? if she has been given a class A annotation and she was not required to undergo sputum test and/or treatment maybe there was just a mistake. My kids had class B2 annotations which is not active, not infectious tb... and the recommended optional 9months tb treatment was just for "prevention" according to health department here, just in case the PDD positive result was not because of the BCG but real exposure to people with active tb... when you get here you just have to stand your ground. they read me some stuffs about tb and also the benefits of the preventive treatment (and only skimmed through the page on side effects )... i cut them off, i told them i already studied what i could about my kids case, i told them also that my kids never had any history of primary complex, that we don't live in squatters area or depressed areas in the Philippines, that there is no history of tb in my family and my kids go to a private school where exposure to tb was lesser compared to public schools and if they would really insist on my kids getting the treatment, they should at least give them another tb test, the "quantiferon-tb gold test" (which is available to big city department of health facilities but not in small cities like ours here).. i know anybody could be exposed to tb anywhere in the philippines but i just have to say something so they would stop pushing for the so-called 9months preventive tb treatment. When i first declined, they went out and discussed something (2health workers), then they came back and went at it again, i stood my ground and said the stuffs i just mentioned, they went out and discussed again and then came back and had me signed papers saying i declined the treatment and told me that should i change my mind, i could go for it anytime i want to. They also advised me that since quantiferon tb test is not available in their facility, i should try to get the it in a private hospital or any hospital in the bigger city just to eliminate any doubts. (i really ought to, wala palang time to go there and wala paring budget) I just said, ok and thank you.

department of health office standards and procedures vary slightly from state to state and county to county, just arm yourself with everything you know about tb and your child's medical history and you will be good to go.

i wish you the best and have a happy holidays.

dbears, my daughter's visa had also this in her visa Annotation Class A or B (TB)....etc, i just received our visa today and we are leaving on the 28th of this month. What will I do at the POE? Is there any problem with my daughter's visa? PLS HELP!

[ryandgracey 2]

Is the annotation on your daughter's visa really class A? if she has been given a class A annotation and she was not required to undergo sputum test and/or treatment maybe there was just a mistake. My kids had class B2 annotations which is not active, not infectious tb... and the recommended optional 9months tb treatment was just for "prevention" according to health department here, just in case the PDD positive result was not because of the BCG but real exposure to people with active tb... when you get here you just have to stand your ground. they read me some stuffs about tb and also the benefits of the preventive treatment (and only skimmed through the page on side effects )... i cut them off, i told them i already studied what i could about my kids case, i told them also that my kids never had any history of primary complex, that we don't live in squatters area or depressed areas in the Philippines, that there is no history of tb in my family and my kids go to a private school where exposure to tb was lesser compared to public schools and if they would really insist on my kids getting the treatment, they should at least give them another tb test, the "quantiferon-tb gold test" (which is available to big city department of health facilities but not in small cities like ours here).. i know anybody could be exposed to tb anywhere in the philippines but i just have to say something so they would stop pushing for the so-called 9months preventive tb treatment. When i first declined, they went out and discussed something (2health workers), then they came back and went at it again, i stood my ground and said the stuffs i just mentioned, they went out and discussed again and then came back and had me signed papers saying i declined the treatment and told me that should i change my mind, i could go for it anytime i want to. They also advised me that since quantiferon tb test is not available in their facility, i should try to get the it in a private hospital or any hospital in the bigger city just to eliminate any doubts. (i really ought to, wala palang time to go there and wala paring budget) I just said, ok and thank you.

department of health office standards and procedures vary slightly from state to state and county to county, just arm yourself with everything you know about tb and your child's medical history and you will be good to go.

i wish you the best and have a happy holidays.

dbears, my daughter's visa had also this in her visa Annotation Class A or B (TB)....etc, i just received our visa today and we are leaving on the 28th of this month. What will I do at the POE? Is there any problem with my daughter's visa? PLS HELP!

I guess you will be advised by USPHS when you reach the US. She is not barred from entering. You'll probably be asked and advised that the local health authority will get in touch with you.

I brought this to my kid's pediatrician and we talked about it a bit, told her the TST results and she recommended therapy which I have started. We aren't leaving till April anyway.

BTW, you may want to have her and your passports affixed with the CFO sticker already as the holidays are nearing and CFO will be closed from the 24th till next year, perhaps.

[Maribob 0]

Hello fellow vj,

I Have concern... i have a friend that file her k1 visa...but she is not register here in vj jouney and she have question that i cant answer..so i am hoping some people can answer her question.she was exposed to a person that carrier and positive to tuberculosis. and wen she went to the doctor for check -up,and she got a skin test and x-ray...she was positive to the skin test and negative to her chest x-ray..is this can affect or detect on her medical ? knowing that she is negative and not contagious?

Now she take one pill today..but she really dont want to take it for 9 months bcoz she is so afraid for the side effects.. what

is the best thing to do? she is worried that mayb st.lukes medical hopital can detect that on her urine and blood test that she is taking a medications??

.i

she is now 4th month for her k1-visa,and she will approve soon, and that is her big problem..the doctor said its optional..but she is really confused now...hope someone can give me a advice on this problem

[ryandgracey 2]

Hello fellow vj,

I Have concern... i have a friend that file her k1 visa...but she is not register here in vj jouney and she have question that i cant answer..so i am hoping some people can answer her question.she was exposed to a person that carrier and positive to tuberculosis. and wen she went to the doctor for check -up,and she got a skin test and x-ray...she was positive to the skin test and negative to her chest x-ray..is this can affect or detect on her medical ? knowing that she is negative and not contagious?

Now she take one pill today..but she really dont want to take it for 9 months bcoz she is so afraid for the side effects.. what

is the best thing to do? she is worried that mayb st.lukes medical hopital can detect that on her urine and blood test that she is taking a medications??

.i

she is now 4th month for her k1-visa,and she will approve soon, and that is her big problem..the doctor said its optional..but she is really confused now...hope someone can give me a advice on this problem

Thing is, SLEC will do their own CXR. It will be prudent for her to tell the examiner at the Immunization history room as her urine will turn out orange when she goes for the urine exam. And tell her to bring her Xray.

Rule of thumg: when it comes to the visa process...do not lie.

[prettynpink 0]

Hello fellow vj,

I Have concern... i have a friend that file her k1 visa...but she is not register here in vj jouney and she have question that i cant answer..so i am hoping some people can answer her question.she was exposed to a person that carrier and positive to tuberculosis. and wen she went to the doctor for check -up,and she got a skin test and x-ray...she was positive to the skin test and negative to her chest x-ray..is this can affect or detect on her medical ? knowing that she is negative and not contagious?

Now she take one pill today..but she really dont want to take it for 9 months bcoz she is so afraid for the side effects.. what

is the best thing to do? she is worried that mayb st.lukes medical hopital can detect that on her urine and blood test that she is taking a medications??

.i

she is now 4th month for her k1-visa,and she will approve soon, and that is her big problem..the doctor said its optional..but she is really confused now...hope someone can give me a advice on this problem

Thing is, SLEC will do their own CXR. It will be prudent for her to tell the examiner at the Immunization history room as her urine will turn out orange when she goes for the urine exam. And tell her to bring her Xray.

Rule of thumg: when it comes to the visa process...do not lie.

Where exactly the annotation written?I looked for it on my son's visa and only find the "derv of Ms Unknown" written.Am i missing something/?Im really curious about this because my son went through a 6 month treatment for primary complex before he had his medical.SLec is fully aware of my son's medical history ..Im just curious why i cant find the Class A or B thing that everyone else is talking about..

talk about paranoia..hehe please enlighten me..

thanks..god bless

[minang 0]

Hello fellow vj,

I Have concern... i have a friend that file her k1 visa...but she is not register here in vj jouney and she have question that i cant answer..so i am hoping some people can answer her question.she was exposed to a person that carrier and positive to tuberculosis. and wen she went to the doctor for check -up,and she got a skin test and x-ray...she was positive to the skin test and negative to her chest x-ray..is this can affect or detect on her medical ? knowing that she is negative and not contagious?

Now she take one pill today..but she really dont want to take it for 9 months bcoz she is so afraid for the side effects.. what

is the best thing to do? she is worried that mayb st.lukes medical hopital can detect that on her urine and blood test that she is taking a medications??

.i

she is now 4th month for her k1-visa,and she will approve soon, and that is her big problem..the doctor said its optional..but she is really confused now...hope someone can give me a advice on this problem

Thing is, SLEC will do their own CXR. It will be prudent for her to tell the examiner at the Immunization history room as her urine will turn out orange when she goes for the urine exam. And tell her to bring her Xray.

Rule of thumg: when it comes to the visa process...do not lie.

Where exactly the annotation written?I looked for it on my son's visa and only find the "derv of Ms Unknown" written.Am i missing something/?Im really curious about this because my son went through a 6 month treatment for primary complex before he had his medical.SLec is fully aware of my son's medical history ..Im just curious why i cant find the Class A or B thing that everyone else is talking about..

talk about paranoia..hehe please enlighten me..

thanks..god bless

it's in your visa

[prettynpink 0]

Hello fellow vj,

I Have concern... i have a friend that file her k1 visa...but she is not register here in vj jouney and she have question that i cant answer..so i am hoping some people can answer her question.she was exposed to a person that carrier and positive to tuberculosis. and wen she went to the doctor for check -up,and she got a skin test and x-ray...she was positive to the skin test and negative to her chest x-ray..is this can affect or detect on her medical ? knowing that she is negative and not contagious?

Now she take one pill today..but she really dont want to take it for 9 months bcoz she is so afraid for the side effects.. what

is the best thing to do? she is worried that mayb st.lukes medical hopital can detect that on her urine and blood test that she is taking a medications??

.i

she is now 4th month for her k1-visa,and she will approve soon, and that is her big problem..the doctor said its optional..but she is really confused now...hope someone can give me a advice on this problem

Thing is, SLEC will do their own CXR. It will be prudent for her to tell the examiner at the Immunization history room as her urine will turn out orange when she goes for the urine exam. And tell her to bring her Xray.

Rule of thumg: when it comes to the visa process...do not lie.

Where exactly the annotation written?I looked for it on my son's visa and only find the "derv of Ms Unknown" written.Am i missing something/?Im really curious about this because my son went through a 6 month treatment for primary complex before he had his medical.SLec is fully aware of my son's medical history ..Im just curious why i cant find the Class A or B thing that everyone else is talking about..

talk about paranoia..hehe please enlighten me..

thanks..god bless

it's in your visa

Got it !!It just that my son's visa reads as derivative of ms.my name..and my annotation just gave my fiance's name and address...thanks..god bless

[dbears 1]

dbears, my daughter's visa had also this in her visa Annotation Class A or B (TB)....etc, i just received our visa today and we are leaving on the 28th of this month. What will I do at the POE? Is there any problem with my daughter's visa? PLS HELP!

Just follow what they will tell you @ POE, fall in line where they will ask you to and then hand them the unopened brown (yellowish actually) envelop and your passports. It may feel scary but once you've gone through it, you would definitely say: "Aysus, yon lang pala yon"... they might take you and you daughter to another room (para lang di abala sa iba) for instructions on how and when to call department of health since your daughter had the "tb" annotation. pero ok lang din, usually sandali lang din naman and then you will be good to go.. i just hope that if you have connecting flight, there is enough time for POE and you connecting flight because anything could happen. when we had our POE we had 5hours lay over in Detroit before our flight to raleigh, there was one family who only had 2 hours lay-over and unfortunately, there was a long line at POE so naiwanan sila ng eroplano and had to pay extra naman to catch the next flight... december pa naman baka lang madami pasahero so mahaba pila sa POE mo if ever.

Good luck and May God be your guide.

Where exactly the annotation written?I looked for it on my son's visa and only find the "derv of Ms Unknown" written.Am i missing something/?Im really curious about this because my son went through a 6 month treatment for primary complex before he had his medical.SLec is fully aware of my son's medical history ..Im just curious why i cant find the Class A or B thing that everyone else is talking about..

talk about paranoia..hehe please enlighten me..thanks..god bless

it's in your visa

Got it !!It just that my son's visa reads as derivative of ms.my name..and my annotation just gave my fiance's name and address...thanks..god bless

"fiance's name and address and derivative of ms." is another annotation which can be found on the exact visa page.. try flipping your passport till you get to page 43, which would be the 2nd to the last page if you have maroon passport (di ko alam sa green passport carrier sorry), you should see the page where SLEC had put their stamp and also some scribbles on it. it should have the SLMCEC-PDS stamp, date of your medical, and then there would be a little box with signatures, then date of your medical again (horizontally written) and the tb annotation. You would read the word "TB" there.. just look for: "N", "B2 LTBI", "B1", "A"...

Mine was "N" which stands for normal... my kids had B2 LTBI annotations which was suggestive of inactive, non contagious Latent TB Infection.

you might want to read this articles:

http://www.michigantb.org/hcp/documents/B1B2.pdf

http://travel.state.gov/visa/laws/telegram...grams_1440.html

Good luck and Merry CHRISTmas in advance.