Tuberculin reaction in pulmonary tuberculosis in the Asir Region of Saudi Arabia.
The Mantoux test was performed on 75 Saudi and Yemeni patients with pulmonary tuberculosis using 2TU of PPD-RT23; 82.7% of these patients had a positive skin test. It was also noted that, contrary to findings in the West, old age does not seem to affect the Mantoux reaction adversely. 9 patients had a non-significant reaction and using the 3-step 'boosting', 8 of the 9 (88.9%) non-reactors converted to positive. Despite the low number of patients included in our study, we recommend 3-step 'boosting' when doing tuberculin skin testing in Third World Countries in order to bring out the true tuberculin 'reactors'.
Teklu
B
B
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
al-Wabel
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000379:methods*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*