Adolescent cavitary tuberculosis. Secondary case finding using a social contact scale.
The spread of tuberculosis in a university environment following a case of cavitary disease was studied. Six loci of potential secondary infection were ascertained and the persons at risk were identified for tuberculin screening. All named contacts were ranked by the index patient and her friends on a closeness scale for social contact. This scale proved to be an excellent predictor of tuberculin positivity, suggesting that in a noninstitutionalized setting the risk of tuberculin conversion is associated more with social contact than with mere living proximity.
D000293:Adolescent; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D012306:Risk; D012931:Social Environment; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000635:transmission*