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'.
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
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al-Wabel
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*