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PPD skin test

PPD skin test

Overview

The purified protein derivative is an antigen (a substance that stimulates the immune system to eliminate or fight foreign substances in the body), which is injected under the skin in the forearm. After 48 to 72 hours the injection site is evaluated by a physician. This skin test helps determine if a person has ever been infected by the microorganism that causes tuberculosis.

Review Date 12/31/2023

Updated by: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.