title: Tuberculin skin test reactions by time of reading among Dutch travellers.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Royal Netherlands Tuberculosis Association (KNCV), The Hague, The Netherlands. cobelensf@kncvtbc.nl
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cobelens
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Deutekom
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Draayer-Jansen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schepp-Beelen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Gerven
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mensen
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D014373:Tuberculin