Tuberculosis screening

José M.ª Mengual Gil^a, Manuel Merino Moína^b, Carmen Rosa Pallás Alonso^c, Francisco Javier Sánchez Ruiz-Cabello^d, Javier Soriano Faura^e, Julia Colomer Revuelta^f, Olga Cortés Rico^g, M.ª Jesús Esparza Olcina^h, Jaime García Aguado^h, Ana Martínez Rubioⁱ, Grupo PrevInfad/PAPPS Infancia y Adolescencia^j

^aPediatra. CS Delicias Sur. Zaragoza. España.
^bPediatra. CS El Greco. Getafe. Madrid. España.
^cServicio de Neonatología. Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre. Madrid. España.
^dPediatra. CS Zaidín Sur. Granada. España.
^ePediatra. CS Fuensanta. Valencia. España.
^fDepartamento de Pediatría, Obstetricia y Ginecología. Unidad de Pediatría. Universidad de Valencia. Valencia. España.
^gPediatra. CS Canillejas. Madrid. España.
^hPediatra. Madrid. España.
ⁱPediatra. CS de Camas. Sevilla. España.
^jJosé María Mengual Gil (coord.).

Correspondence: JM Mengual. E-mail: pepebobes@gmail.com

Reference of this article: Mengual Gil JM, Merino Moína M, Pallás Alonso CR, Sánchez Ruiz-Cabello FJ, Soriano Faura J, Colomer Revuelta J, et al. Tuberculosis screening. Rev Pediatr Aten Primaria. 2016;69:65-78.

Published in Internet: 29-03-2016 - Visits: 17317

Abstract

There is evidence that latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening in low incidence areas, has a poor efficiency, many false positives and is not cost-effective. There is evidence that LTBI screening in groups at high risk of developing active tuberculosis infection (ATBI) improves the efficiency of the diagnostic tests as well as the risk-benefit balance and should take part of the strategies to reduce tuberculosis impact.

Tuberculin skin test is still the best performing diagnostic test in the screening for latent tuberculosis infection in children and adolescents.

PrevInfad recommendations (GRADE):

Universal screening of latent tuberculosis infection in children and adolescents of our country is not recommended.
Universal screening of latent tuberculosis infection in high risk groups of children and adolescents is recommended.
Tuberculin skin test (TST) as the first test for screening of latent tuberculosis infection in children and adolescents of our country is suggested.
IGRA for children and adolescents five or more years old with a positive TST and history of BCG vaccination, is suggested in order to improve the screening test specificity.

Keywords

● Interferon gamma release assays ● Latent Tuberculosis ● Mass screening ● Tuberculin skin testing ● Tuberculosis

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