| Anamnestic skin reactivity upon repeated tuberculin tests in the BCG vaccinated or unvaccinated primary school children. |
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Sang Jae Kim, Young Pyo Hong, Seung Chil Chang, Mi Kyung Kang |
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Korean Institute of Tuberculosis, Korean National Tuberculosis Association |
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| Abstract |
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Restoration of skin reactivity to 1 TU of tuberculin (RT23) by repeated tests at 10 days interval has been investigated in the BCG vaccinated or unvaccinated primary school children. The results obtained are as follows.
1) Tuberculin reactors showing 6 mm or larger induration to the first tests were 20 .0% in the first grade school children and 33.3% in the sixth grade children. Six millimeter or larger reaction than that of the first reaction was found in 14.9% of the first grade children and in 34.6% of the sixth grade children.
2) Six millimeter or larger reactors were 10 .8% of the first grade children without BCG scar against both first and second tests and 11. 8% of the sixth grade children on first tests and 10.6% on second tests. There was none or very few, if any, in number of 6 mm or larger difference between the first and second tests among children without BCG scar. In addition, there was no children shown 6 mm or larger second reaction than that of the first reaction and thus those reactors seemed to be natural infection.
3) From questionnaire survey. parents of 73 .3 % of the first grade children and of 72 .7% of the sixth grade children were aware of BCG vaccination of their children. while parents of 15.1% and 24.6% of the first and sixth grade children did not know their children’s vaccination history even if children possessed BCG scar.
4) Of the first grade children whose parents remembered their BCG vaccination. 65.6% were vaccinated within 4 weeks after biπh and 25.5% between 4 weeks and one year. Six millimeter or larger reaction on the first tests was observed in 20.2% of the former group and 15 .9% of the latter group, however reactors on the second tests were 32.1% and 31.9% respectively. BCG scar was not observed in 13.9 % of children.
5) The majority of children (87.3%) were vaccinated in the skin of deltoid area and some (7 .7%) at buttock or other areas. Children received first vaccination at the health centers were 68.5% and 30.3% at hospitals. More than 5 mm reaction was found in 18.7% of the former children and in 15.0 % of the latter children.
From this study restoration of tuberculin reactivity by repeated tests was found veη common among the vaccinated children and thus it should be taken into account for the vaccination policy if it is performed after tuberculin testing.
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