title: The role of TST in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection among military personnel in South Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rapid and accurate diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is crucial in military settings because military personnel live in crowded circumstances and are of an age group with a high incidence of tuberculosis (TB). We tried to elucidate whether the tuberculin skin test (TST) accurately reflects the risk of TB infection among military personnel, in a setting of intermediate TB prevalence and where bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination is mandatory.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multi-stage cluster survey was conducted among military personnel in South Korea. Participants were grouped according to their risk of TB infection: Group 1, no identifiable risk of TB; Groups 2 and 3, recent casual (Group 2) or close (Group 3) contact with smear-positive TB patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1045 participants, 857 (82.0%) had been BCG-vaccinated. The odds ratio (OR) of a positive TST (10 mm cut-off) for Group 2 (n = 184) and Group 3 (n = 83) compared with Group 1 (n = 778) were 0.95 (95%CI 0.67-1.38) and 1.7 (95%CI 1.06-2.70), respectively (P value for trend 0.16).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TST does not accurately reflect the risk of LTBI among young military personnel in a setting where there is intermediate TB prevalence and extensive BCG coverage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Armed Forces Capital Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Yim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine