[Improvement of tuberculin test results with BCG vaccination in set-city primary school children from 2000 to 2002].
OBJECTIVE
The effects of improved BCG vaccination for babies in Seto-city, Aichi were evaluated.


METHODS
The tuberculin test was performed counting the number of BCG needle traces on 3409 children in the first class of primary school in Seto-city from 2000 to 2002. The children in 2000 and 2001 received ordinary BCG vaccination as babies, while the children in 2002 received the improved BCG vaccination. Children who had not received any BCG vaccination were excluded.


RESULTS
Percentages of children with needle traces were 25.1% in 2000, 38.1% in 2001, and 70.5% in 2002. Values for those with a positive tuberculin test (PTT percentages) were 32.5% in 2000, 36.5% in 2001, and 63.7% in 2002. The differences were highly significant (P < 0.001) between 2000, as well as 2001 and those in 2002 in the two categories. The PTT percentages with needle traces were 41.8% in 2000, 42.0% in 2001, and 66.9% in 2002, as compared with 29.4%, 33.1%, and 56.1%, respectively for no needle traces. The difference was highly significant between children with needle traces in 2000 and those with no needle traces in 2002 (P < 0.001). The PTT percentages with one to nine needle traces were 40.2% in 2000, 34.0% in 2001, and 63.9% in 2002, and for 10 to 18 needle traces were 46.3%, 55.7%, and 70.7%, respectively. Percentages of children with reddening of the skin from 0 to 4.9 mm in diameter were 34.6% in 2000, 33.3% in 2001, and 16.3% in 2002, and for 5 to 9 mm were 32.8% in 2000, 30.2% in 2001, and 20.0% in 2002. Differences were highly significant between 2000 and 2002 in both categories (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that improved BCG vaccination has significantly increased tuberculin-positive children, with or without needle traces. The number of needle traces seems to be a less important factor than the percentage of children with needle traces.
Inoue
Takeo
T
Hannda Health Center and Seto Health Center.
Hayashi
Noriko
N
Tsuda
Katsuya
K
D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014611:Vaccination
D001500:BCG Vaccine