What intervention should be taken for a patient who has a positive tuberculosis skin test?

A positive tuberculosis skin test indicates that the patient has been exposed to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, but it does not confirm an active infection. Therefore, referring the patient for a chest X-ray and further evaluation is essential. The chest X-ray helps to determine whether there is any active disease in the lungs.

If the chest X-ray shows signs consistent with active tuberculosis, further testing and treatment will be initiated based on clinical guidelines. If the X-ray is clear, then the individual may be diagnosed with latent tuberculosis infection, which may require treatment to prevent the progression to active disease.

It's important to conduct this further evaluation rather than starting immediate treatment with antibiotics or scheduling a follow-up without any intervention, as these steps might not adequately address the need to rule out active tuberculosis. The option of performing a blood test for confirmation may also follow, but the priority is to assess for active disease through imaging first.