Qualitative evaluation of tuberculin test responses in childhood tuberculosis.
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2007-07-19
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To study if different forms of clinical presentation of tuberculosis in children are associated with a different type of tuberculin reaction.
METHODS: This cross sectional study, describing Tuberculin skin testing (TST) responses in 268 children (134 cases and 134 controls) less than 12 yr of age was carried out over a period of 18 months at JIPMER, a tertiary care referral hospital in Pondicherry, India. The qualitative and quantitative TST responses in various clinical forms of Tuberculosis were analysed.
RESULTS: Koch's and Listeria variants were more common in children with TB Lymphadenitis and Pulmonary TB respectively. 10% of the study children with TB meningitis were tuberculin negative.
CONCLUSION: Qualitative TST responses are non-homogeneous among the various clinical types of childhood tuberculosis. They are not a correlate of protective immunity with little or no prognostic significance.
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Akhila K, Mahadevan S, Adhisivam B. Qualitative evaluation of tuberculin test responses in childhood tuberculosis. Indian Journal of Pediatrics. 2007 Jul; 74(7): 641-4