Tuberculin Test

Risk assessment of tuberculosis in immunocompromised patients. A TBNET study

RATIONALE: In the absence of active tuberculosis, a positive tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) result defines latent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, although test results may vary depending on …

Predictive value of the tuberculin skin test among newly arriving immigrants

RATIONALE: Screening and treating newly arriving immigrants for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in low-incidence countries could be promising to reduce the tuberculosis incidence among this population. The effectiveness of screening with the …

Role of the QuantiFERON(R)-TB Gold In-Tube assay in screening new immigrants for tuberculosis infection

This study aimed to estimate the risk of progression to active tuberculosis (TB) within 2 yrs after entry in newly arriving immigrants who were screened with the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube assay (QFT-GIT; Cellestis, Carnegie, Australia). In a …

Contact tracing in low-incidence tuberculosis settings

Guidelines for conducting tuberculin skin test surveys in high-prevalence countries

This Supplement provides an update on guidelines first published in 1996 on conducting a tuberculin skin test survey and analyzing the resulting data. The updated guidelines add experiences gained from community surveys, revisit the proposed sampling …

Latent tuberculosis infection and interferon-gamma release assays: what new knowledge did we gain through the Journal in 2009?

The tuberculin skin test: a comparison of ruler and calliper readings

BACKGROUND: The Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST) is widely used to diagnose latent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TST skin induration may be measured either by a transparent ruler or by a pair of callipers. We hypothesised that the type …

Measuring tuberculosis burden, trends, and the impact of control programmes

The targets for tuberculosis control, framed within the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, are to ensure that the incidence per head of tuberculosis is falling by 2015, and that the 1990 prevalence and mortality per head are halved by …