title: Soluble antigen fluorescent antibody (SAFA) test is not useful in childhood tuberculosis.
abstract: The diagnostic value of the soluble antigen fluorescent antibody (SAFA) test in childhood tuberculosis was studied in 117 children in the age group 0-12 years; 79 cases belonged to the study group, 23 children were non-tuberculous controls and 15 were tuberculin-negative healthy controls. The SAFA test was positive in 35 of 44 children with only pulmonary tuberculous lesions (80%) and in 21 of 35 children with other types of tuberculosis (60%). In the 23 non-tuberculous and 15 healthy controls it was positive in 11 cases (48%) and 7 cases (47%), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and predictivity of the test were found to be 71%, 53% and 72%, respectively. The diagnostic value of the SAFA test was thus found to be low in childhood tuberculosis, especially in disseminated disease and tuberculous meningitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Uppal
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Laisram
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narayan
authors.lastname: Shriniwas
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*