From the Department of Community Medicine, Shiraz Medical School, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abstract: (4012 Views)
Mantoux test using 2 IU of tuberculin prepared in Iran was performed on 6675
healthy persons randomly selected from an urban population (Shiraz) of Iran.
In 3776 persons with no evidence of previous BCG vaccination the rate of
positive reaction was less than 2% up to the age of 14, slightly more than 2% among
those 15-19 years of age, but strikingly higher (45.5%) in older age groups (P<0.001).
The rate of positive reaction was higher among females (P<0.025).
At the time of the study 2899 persons (43.3%) had received BCG. In this group
the rate of positive reaction, being highest in the below 4 years old age group, dropped
suddenly in the 5-10 year old age group and gradually increased thereafter to reach
a high level (>90%) again. The differences between different age groups as well as
the two sexes were statistically significant (P<0.005), though the sex difference was
reversed in this group.