Litigations for Unexpected Adverse Events

Fong, I. W.

A 53-year-old Iranian female who immigrated to Canada about 3.5 years before was referred to an internist for a positive Mantoux skin test (11 mm in diameter). The subject was previously well with no symptoms indicative or suggestive of active tuberculosis. A routine tuberculosis skin test was performed because the patient had applied to be a volunteer at a local hospital. She had no significant past illness or known allergies, and she was never diagnosed with nor had known contact with anyone with active tuberculosis. The subject never ingested alcohol and was not known to have hepatitis or be a carrier of any hepatitis virus. Baseline investigations performed by the internist included routine complete blood count, routine biochemical tests (liver enzymes, creatinine, and glucose), serum ferritin, and thyroid-stimulating hormone – all of which were normal. A chest radiograph was reported to be normal.