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Guidelines on the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Ireland

Guidelines on the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Ireland

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<str<strong>on</strong>g>Guidel<strong>in</strong>es</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Preventi<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> C<strong>on</strong>trol <strong>of</strong> <strong>Tuberculosis</strong> <strong>in</strong> Irel<strong>and</strong> 2010HSE/HPSC2. Methods <strong>of</strong> <strong>Tuberculosis</strong> Screen<strong>in</strong>gDiagnosis <strong>of</strong> active or latent TB <strong>in</strong>volves a number <strong>of</strong> tests. There is no gold st<strong>and</strong>ard for determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gwhe<strong>the</strong>r a pers<strong>on</strong> is <strong>in</strong>fected with M. tuberculosis but <strong>in</strong> practice <strong>the</strong> tubercul<strong>in</strong> sk<strong>in</strong> test (TST) is <strong>the</strong>st<strong>and</strong>ard method used. Recently immunological blood tests i.e. <strong>in</strong>terfer<strong>on</strong>-gamma release assays (IGRA)have been developed to aid diagnosis. However, nei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> TST nor IGRA can be used to dist<strong>in</strong>guishlatent <strong>in</strong>fecti<strong>on</strong> from active disease.2.1 Def<strong>in</strong>iti<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> Active TBActive TB is def<strong>in</strong>ed as <strong>in</strong>fecti<strong>on</strong> with mycobacteria <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> M. tuberculosis complex, where mycobacteriaare grow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> caus<strong>in</strong>g symptoms <strong>and</strong> signs <strong>of</strong> disease. This is dist<strong>in</strong>ct from LTBI where mycobacteriaare present but are <strong>in</strong>active <strong>and</strong> not caus<strong>in</strong>g symptoms <strong>of</strong> disease. The diagnosis <strong>of</strong> active TB is mademost <strong>of</strong>ten <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>of</strong> positive bacteriology but <strong>in</strong> approximately 15%-25% <strong>of</strong> cases <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>of</strong>appropriate cl<strong>in</strong>ical <strong>and</strong>/or radiological <strong>and</strong>/or pathological presentati<strong>on</strong> as well as treatment resp<strong>on</strong>se (seechapters 4 <strong>and</strong> 5).2.2 Def<strong>in</strong>iti<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> Latent TB Infecti<strong>on</strong>A pers<strong>on</strong> with LTBI usually has a positive TST or IGRA test but has no physical f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong> TB disease <strong>and</strong><strong>the</strong> chest X-ray is normal or <strong>on</strong>ly reveals evidence <strong>of</strong> healed <strong>in</strong>fecti<strong>on</strong> i.e. granulomas or calcificati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>lung, hilar lymph nodes or both. Pers<strong>on</strong>s with LTBI are asymptomatic <strong>and</strong> are not <strong>in</strong>fectious (see table 3.1,chapter 3).The three screen<strong>in</strong>g methods discussed <strong>in</strong> this chapter are:1. Tubercul<strong>in</strong> sk<strong>in</strong> test2. Interfer<strong>on</strong>-Gamma Release Assays (IGRA)3. Chest X-ray.2.3 Tubercul<strong>in</strong> Sk<strong>in</strong> TestThe ma<strong>in</strong> tool to diagnose TB <strong>in</strong>fecti<strong>on</strong> is <strong>the</strong> TST. It is also used as an aid to <strong>the</strong> diagnosis <strong>of</strong> active TBdisease. In Irel<strong>and</strong>, <strong>the</strong> Mantoux test is <strong>the</strong> TST used. This test c<strong>on</strong>sists <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tradermal <strong>in</strong>jecti<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> asmall amount <strong>of</strong> purified prote<strong>in</strong> derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria (PPD). The local sk<strong>in</strong>reacti<strong>on</strong> to PPD is used to assess an <strong>in</strong>dividual’s sensitivity to <strong>the</strong> tubercul<strong>in</strong> prote<strong>in</strong>. In a pers<strong>on</strong> who hascell-mediated immunity to <strong>the</strong>se tubercul<strong>in</strong> antigens, a cell-mediated delayed hypersensitivity reacti<strong>on</strong> willoccur with<strong>in</strong> 48 to 72 hours. The reacti<strong>on</strong> will cause localised swell<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> will be manifest as <strong>in</strong>durati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> sk<strong>in</strong> at <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>jecti<strong>on</strong> site. The greater <strong>the</strong> reacti<strong>on</strong>, <strong>the</strong> more likely it is that an <strong>in</strong>dividual is <strong>in</strong>fected orhas active TB disease. In pers<strong>on</strong>s who are newly exposed <strong>and</strong> become <strong>in</strong>fected with TB, this cell-mediatedreacti<strong>on</strong> to tubercul<strong>in</strong> will develop 3 to 8 weeks later. 28WHO recommends that <strong>the</strong> Mantoux 2TU/0.1ml tubercul<strong>in</strong> PPD should be used <strong>and</strong> this is <strong>the</strong> st<strong>and</strong>ardtest recommended for use <strong>in</strong> Irel<strong>and</strong>. A comparative study undertaken by Comstock et al revealed that2TU has almost identical sensitivity to <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> 5TU for tubercul<strong>in</strong> test<strong>in</strong>g although specificity was slightlylower with 2TU. 29 However, it was c<strong>on</strong>cluded that <strong>the</strong> results <strong>of</strong> test<strong>in</strong>g with 2TU <strong>and</strong> 5TU were sufficientlysimilar to deem <strong>the</strong>m biologically equivalent. 29Recommendati<strong>on</strong>:The st<strong>and</strong>ard tubercul<strong>in</strong> sk<strong>in</strong> test (TST) recommended for use <strong>in</strong> Irel<strong>and</strong> is <strong>the</strong> Mantoux2TU/0.1ml tubercul<strong>in</strong> PPD. Mantoux 10TU/0.1ml tubercul<strong>in</strong> PPD is not recommended for use<strong>in</strong> Irel<strong>and</strong>.In general test<strong>in</strong>g for LTBI is <strong>in</strong>dicated when <strong>the</strong> risk <strong>of</strong> development <strong>of</strong> disease is <strong>in</strong>creased if <strong>the</strong> patient is<strong>in</strong>fected.-11-

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