Tuberculin skin test reactions by time of reading among Dutch travellers.
METHODS
Five travel and TB control clinics in The Netherlands.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the variation of skin test reactions between different days of reading.


METHODS
Cohort study of non-BCG-vaccinated travellers. Mantoux skin test data were analysed for associations between time interval between administration and reading and reaction size.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in reaction size to 1 TU PPD between readings at day 3 or 4, either for pre-travel (n = 1004) or post-travel (n = 577) tests, before (P = 0.990 and 0.210, respectively) or after exclusion of 0 mm reactions (P = 0.330 and 0.474). Time intervals were not different for reaction sizes of 0, 1-9 or > or = 10 mm (P = 0.826 and 0.306). There were also no significant associations for simultaneous tests with a sensitin of Mycobacterium scrofulaceum.


CONCLUSIONS
Tuberculin skin tests can be read on day 3 or 4, without compromising their validity.
Cobelens
F
F
Royal Netherlands Tuberculosis Association (KNCV), The Hague, The Netherlands. cobelensf@kncvtbc.nl
Van Deutekom
H
H
Draayer-Jansen
I
I
Schepp-Beelen
A
A
Van Gerven
P
P
Mensen
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology; D009426:Netherlands; D014195:Travel; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*
D014373:Tuberculin