title: A rapid tuberculosis screening program for new mothers who have had no prenatal care.
abstract: We developed a Rapid Tuberculosis Screening Program for use in women who have not had prenatal care. All patients who presented for delivery without a documented tuberculin skin test (TBN-ST) were given a symptom questionnaire. Those who had a positive response to any of the questions received a chest roentgenogram to rule out active disease. All patients with a negative questionnaire had a TBN-ST soon after admission. The test was read at the time of discharge, whether or not 48 h had elapsed, and individuals who had 5 mm or more of induration at before 48 h and 10 mm or more induration at 48 to 72 h were considered reactors. Of 1,412 patients who received a TBN-ST, 259 were reactors. One case of active disease was diagnosed. Approximately 75 percent of "true" tuberculin reactors will be detected by this method. We suggest that by using the TBN-ST concurrently with a questionnaire, most patients infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be identified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Metersky
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Catanzaro
mesh_terms: D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011859:Radiography; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging