Use of T Cell–Based Diagnosis of Tuberculosis Infection to Optimize Interpretation of Tuberculin Skin Testing for Child Tuberculosis Contacts

Abstract

Negative results of the TST cannot exclude tuberculosis infection for child tuberculosis contacts aged <2 years, which supports the use of preventive therapy regardless of the TST results for this age group. In children aged >or=2 years, the accuracy of the TST can be improved by adjustment of cutoff points for BCG-vaccinated children but remains poor for children with >1 BCG scar. This methodology can define optimal TST cutoff points for diagnosis of tuberculosis infection tailored to target populations.