title: First national tuberculin survey in Viet Nam: characteristics and association with tuberculosis prevalence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the annual risk of tuberculous infection (ARTI) and to compare this with the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) over study clusters and households.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationwide, stratified cluster sample survey was carried out in 2006-2007 in Viet Nam to assess the prevalence of infection with M. tuberculosis. A representative sample of children aged 6-14 years underwent a tuberculin skin test (TST) using the Mantoux method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 23,160 children registered, 21,487 (92.8%) were tested and read and available for analysis. Using a cut-off point of 10 mm, the estimated prevalence of TST positivity was 16.7%, and the ARTI was 1.7% (95%CI 1.5-1.8). Higher infection rates were found in urban than in rural and remote areas, and infection rates increased with age. There was significant association between the prevalence of TB disease and infection at the cluster level (regression coefficient 0.54, 95%CI 0.06-1.01, P = 0.027, correlation coefficient R(2) 0.120). Children with a (recent) case of TB in the household were 1.6 times more likely to be TST-positive than children in households with no recent cases (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The estimated nationwide ARTI was 1.7%. TST positivity was associated with the presence of a TB case in the household.
authors.affiliation: Viet Nam National Tuberculosis Programme, Hanoi, Viet Nam. nguyenbinhhoatb@yahoo.com
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Hoa
authors.forename: F G J
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Cobelens
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Sy
authors.forename: N V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Nhung
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Borgdorff
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Tiemersma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D063506:Ageism; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005192:Family Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology