Frequency of Positive Results of Bacille Calmette Gurein and Mantoux Skin Tests in Suspected Cases of Childhood Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Abstract

Abstract

Objective:  To determine the frequency of positive results of Bacille Calmette Gurein and Mantoux skin tests in suspected cases of childhood pulmonary tuberculosis.

Patients and Methods:  This prospective interventional study was conducted on 160 children from out-patient and inpatient departments of Pediatrics in Services institute of medical sciences, Lahore. An informed consent was taken from their parents for using their data in research and to keep the results confidential. Cases were diagnosed on the basis of history, examination and investigations. Each patient was giv-en 0.1 ml BCG intradermally on left shoulder and 5 IU of PPD intradermally on volar aspect of right forearm. The results were observed after 48 hours of application in the form of induration (in mm). The diagnostic BCG >8 and Mantoux test >10 after 48hrs was taken

(45%) patients showed positive response to both man-toux test and BCG. While alone BCG test was positive in 56 (35%) patients. Both BCG and mantoux tests were negative in rest of 32 (20%) patients. 131(81.9%) patients had variable degree of malnutrition. Severe malnutrition was present in 54 patients; out of these, 50 (92.6%) patients were BCG positive while only 10 (18.5%) patients showed positive response to mantoux test.

Conclusion:  BCG is more reliable than the tuberculin test in the diagnosis of childhood pulmonary tubercu-losis.

Keywords:  Bacilli calmette gurein (BCG), Mantoux test, Tuberculosis (TB), Tuberculous meningitis (TBM), Antituberculous treatment (ATT).

Frequency of Positive Results of Bacille Calmette Gurein and Mantoux Skin Tests in Suspected Cases of Childhood Pulmonary Tuberculosis