Qualitative tuberculin response in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in apparently healthy schoolchildren.
METHODS
School-based cross-sectional study.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the value of qualitative tuberculin responses (turgid and non-turgid type) in diagnosis of tuberculosis disease in apparently healthy schoolchildren.


METHODS
Qualitative tuberculin responses were assessed in 548 apparently healthy schoolchildren. Tuberculin-positive (> or = 10 mm) children were investigated for evidence of tuberculosis. The relationship between the types of qualitative tuberculin response and occurrence of tuberculosis was studied.


RESULTS
Eighty-eight (16.1%) children were found to be tuberculin-positive. Of these, 68 had non-turgid reaction whereas 20 had turgid reaction. Most of the children with a reaction of 5-9 mm had a non-turgid type of tuberculin reaction. Only four children with non-turgid reaction had tuberculosis, while 18 children with turgid reaction had tuberculosis disease (P < 0.0001). A larger tuberculin reaction was found to be associated with a higher occurrence of tuberculosis (P = 0.016 by linear regression method).


CONCLUSIONS
The observations indicate a possible relation between turgid reaction and tuberculosis disease.
Department of Pediatrics, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India.
A R T
AR
Shastri
V T
VT
Serane
S
S
Mahadevan
P
P
Nalini
D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*