Authors: del Río Camacho, G.¹; Perea-Milla, E.²; Romero González, J.¹; Pérez Frías, J.³

Source: The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Volume 13, Number 2, February 2009 , pp. 196-200(5)

Publisher: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Interpretation of tuberculin tests (TSTs) can be difficult. However, it is even more difficult to classify an individual as infected or non-infected if he or she has undergone a prior TST, as the difference between the booster effect and true conversion is not always clear.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the size of the induration that is indicative of true infection after a second Mantoux test, based on the fact that the annual risk of tuberculous infection (ARTI) is equivalent, regardless of whether it is calculated directly or indirectly.

METHOD: We performed two TSTs in the same population (aged 6 years at the first examination) with a 1-year interval. We calculated the prevalence of infection the first year (1.16%, 95%CI 0.67-1.65) and the ARTI using the indirect method (0.18%, 95%CI 0.00-0.37). For the second year, we considered different induration sizes and finally accepted a diameter of >10 mm as the criterion according to which the ARTI, calculated directly, corresponded to the value of the previous year (0.18%).

CONCLUSION: Although they served as an aid in the interpretation of the TST, calculations of this type will probably be unnecessary in the future, when in vitro diagnostic tests for tuberculosis are made available in every health centre, thus enabling the classification of those individuals with indurations of intermediate size in the TST.

Keywords: tuberculosis; annual risk of tuberculous infection; Mantoux

Document Type: Regular paper

Affiliations: 1: Paediatrics Department, Costa del Sol Hospital, Marbella, Spain 2: Investigation Department, Costa del Sol Hospital, Marbella, Spain; and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Marbella, Spain 3: Children Pneumology Department, Paediatrics Department, Carlos Haya Hospital, Malaga, Spain

Publication date: 2009-02-01

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• The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease publishes articles on all aspects of lung health, including public health-related issues such as training programmes, cost-benefit analysis, legislation, epidemiology, intervention studies and health systems research. The IJTLD is dedicated to the continuing education of physicians and health personnel and the dissemination of information on tuberculosis and lung health world-wide.

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