Tuberculosis Skin Test Screening in the National Tuberculosis Program of Trinidad and Tobago
Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Healthcare
Abstract
Globally, a quarter of the population is infected with tuberculosis (TB), caused by
Mycobacterium tuberculosis. About 5–10% of latent TB infections (LTBI) progress to active disease
during the lifetime. Prevention of TB and treating LTBI is a critical component of theWorld Health
Organization’s (WHO) End TB Strategy. This study aims to examine the screening practices for
prevention and treatment employed by the National Tuberculosis Program of Trinidad and Tobago in
comparison to the WHO’s standard guidelines. A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted
from the TB registers (2018–2019) for persons aged 18 years and above with recorded tuberculin skin
test reactions (TST). Bivariate comparisons for categorical variables were made using Chi-square
or Fisher’s exact test. Binary logistic regression was used for exploring predictors of TST positivity
with adjustment for demographic confounders in multivariable models. Of the total 1972 eligible
entries studied, 384 (19.4%) individuals were tested positive with TST. TB contact screening (aOR
2.49; 95% CI 1.65, 3.75) and Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) vaccination status (aOR 1.66; 95% CI,
1.24 to 2.22) were associated with a positive TST reaction, whereas, preplacement screening failed
to show such association when compared to those screened as suspect cases. The findings suggest
that TB contact screening and positive BCG vaccination status are associated with TST positivity
independent of age and gender
Description
Table of Contents
Keywords
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, World Health Organization (WHO), Latent TB infection (LTB), Tuberculin skin test (TST), Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG), Interferon-Gamma releasing assays (IGRAs), Trinidad and Tobago
Citation
Chattu, V.K.; Sakhamuri, S.; Motilal, S.; Pounder, L.J.; Persad, V.K.; Pierre, N.; Persad, S.; Pooran, N.; Pottinger, A.M. Tuberculosis Skin Test Screening in the National Tuberculosis Program of Trinidad and Tobago. Healthcare 2020, 8, 236. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8030236