Discrepancies in tuberculin skin test results with two commercial products in a population of intravenous drug users.
Screening for tuberculosis (using the Mantoux test) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was conducted among intravenous drug users (IVDUs) recruited from a San Francisco Bay Area neighborhood. Of 178 IVDUs skin-tested with one commercial purified protein derivative (PPD) preparation, a reaction of > or = 5 mm of induration occurred in 62 (47%) of 133 HIV-negative and 13 (29%) of 45 HIV-positive IVDUs (P = .037). Forty-two IVDUs with an initial PPD reaction > or = 5 mm were retested with a second commercial preparation; 11 (26%) had no reaction (0 mm) on retesting. These 11 were 5 (56%) of 9 HIV-positive and 6 (18%) of 33 HIV-negative persons (P = .038). These discrepancies may be unique to specific lots of product or may reflect more general differences. A degree of caution in evaluating unexpected tuberculin skin test results may be indicated. Response to different tuberculin products by HIV status should be further evaluated.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco.
A R
AR
Lifson
J K
JK
Watters
S
S
Thompson
C M
CM
Crane
F
F
Wise
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012495:San Francisco; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D013997:Time Factors; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D014504:Urban Health
D015483:HIV Antibodies