An assessment of mantoux test in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in a BCG-vaccinated, tuberculosis-endemic area

Document Type

Article

Department

Medicine; Pathology and Microbiology

Abstract

Outpatient clinics at a tertiary care referral center where Mantoux test was done as part of pre-employment medical examination and work-up of suspected tuberculosis. Objective: To assess the utility of Mantoux test in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis, in a BCG-vaccinated, TB endemic area. Design: A prospective, case-control study, conducted over a period of two years. For statistical analysis, patients with active tuberculosis were categorized on the basis of disease site and confirmatory tests. Results: The size of induration on Mantoux test was significantly different between patients with active TB and healthy individuals (p5 mm induration; test specificity increased with increasing size of induration and was highest (86%) with induration of >15 mm for both pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB. ESR was also significantly higher (p< 0.05) in TB patients. Older patients without active TB were observed to have higher ESR and larger induration on MT. Conclusions: Mantoux test, with or without ESR, provides useful supportive evidence of active TB in patients with pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB in our population.

Publication (Name of Journal)

Infectious Diseases Journal of Pakistan

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