[Reduction of excessive reactions after tuberculin skin test (mendel-mantoux method)].
In 2.5 % of cases excessive reaction with formation of blisters and local necrosis is seen after tuberculin skin testing with Mendel-Mantoux technique. The objective of this prospective study was to determine whether this rate can be reduced by pretesting. 426 contacts of cases with contagious pulmonary tuberculosis were examined in a public health office. A tuberculin skin test in Mendel-Mantoux technique with 1 unit purified tuberculin Behring (GT 1, bioequivalent to 0.5 units PPD-S) was applied and the results read after 3 to 7 days. Negative results were retested with 10 units (GT 10, bioequivalent to 5 units PPD-S). 422 patients completed the examination course as planned. In two cases forming of blisters was noticed. The difference between this observed rate of 0.5 % and the published rate of 2.5 % is highly significant. The alternative hypothesis that pretesting reduces the rate of excessive reactions can be assumed.
Föll
M
M
Gesundheitsamt Ulm im Landratsamt Alb-Donau-Kreis, Kreisgesundheitsamt Biberach, Ulm, Germany. dr.foell@alb-donau-kreis.de
D001768:Blister / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016358:Contact Tracing; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009336:Necrosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission