title: Tuberculin survey in Bangladesh, 2007-2009: prevalence of tuberculous infection and implications for TB control.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of tuberculous infection and the annual risk of tuberculous infection (ARTI) for 2007-2009 in Bangladesh, approximately 45 years after the first tuberculin survey in 1964-1966.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tuberculin survey was conducted along with the National Tuberculosis Disease Prevalence Survey in 2007-2009. This was a multistaged community-based, cross-sectional survey, including 17,718 children aged 5-14 years. The prevalence of tuberculous infection was estimated using the mixture method and a cut-off point of ≥ 8 mm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of infection was 10.0% (interquartile range [IQR] 8.6-12.2) in children aged 5-9 years and 17.9% (IQR 15.4-20.2) in those aged 10-14 years using the mixture analysis. Prevalence was 12.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 11.7-13.1) in children aged 5-9 years and 22.6% (95%CI 21.6-23.4) in those aged 10-14 years using a cut-off point of ≥ 8 mm. The estimated ARTI was respectively 1.5% and 1.7% in 5-9 and 10-14 year olds using the mixture method and respectively 1.9% and 2.1% using the cut-off method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The moderate reduction in the prevalence of infection and slow decline of the ARTI after two decades of DOTS implementation indicates considerable ongoing transmission.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zaman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banu
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Quaiyum
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cooreman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borgdorff
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: van Leth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents