title: Is tuberculin skin testing useful to diagnose latent tuberculosis in BCG-vaccinated children?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The tuberculin skin test (TST) is the most commonly used tool to detect infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We sought to determine whether tuberculin skin testing is useful to detect latent infection by M. tuberculosis in a population that was vaccinated with the Bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) vaccine.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional study during October 2000-February 2001, enrolling first and sixth graders from a random, stratified sample of public elementary schools in Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico. We assessed the relationship between sociodemographic and epidemiological information, BCG scars, and TST reactivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 858 children enrolled in the study with a completed questionnaire and TST result. The prevalence of a positive TST result (> or =10 mm) was 12.4%. Controlling for BCG scar, age, and other characteristics, close contact with pulmonary tuberculosis patients (odds ratio 6.56, 95% confidence interval 2.05-21.07, P = 0.001) was independently associated with TST reactivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TST results helped identify children in a BCG-vaccinated population who had recent exposure to persons with pulmonary tuberculosis, were probably infected with M. tuberculosis, and could benefit from treatment for their latent tuberculosis infection.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cerrada de Fray Pedro de Gante No. 50 Col. Sección XVI, Deleg. Tlalpan, C.P. 14000, Mexico, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ma Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: García-Sancho F
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García-García
authors.forename: Ma Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Corona
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palacios-Martínez
authors.forename: Leticia D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Ferreyra-Reyes
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canizales-Quintero
authors.forename: Bulmaro
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cano-Arellano
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ponce-de-León
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sifuentes-Osornio
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Small
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: DeRiemer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000379:methods*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines