Influence of Bacille Calmette-Guérin on tuberculin skin testing in Venezuelan Amerindians in high tuberculosis burden areas

Mailis Maes; Lilly M Verhagen; Dagmarys Ortega; Gregorio L Sánchez; Yajaira Segovia; Berenice del Nogal; Jacobus H de Waard

doi:10.3855/jidc.3297

Influence of Bacille Calmette-Guérin on tuberculin skin testing in Venezuelan Amerindians in high tuberculosis burden areas

Authors

Mailis Maes Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
Lilly M Verhagen Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
Dagmarys Ortega Servicio Autónomo Centro Amazónico de Investigación y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, Estado Amazonas, Puerto Ayacucho, Venezuela
Gregorio L Sánchez Servicio Autónomo Centro Amazónico de Investigación y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, Estado Amazonas, Puerto Ayacucho, Venezuela
Yajaira Segovia Ministerio de Salud, Estado Delta Amacuro, Tucupita, Venezuela
Berenice del Nogal Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
Jacobus H de Waard Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.3297

Keywords:

tuberculin skin test, BCG vaccination, Amerindians

Abstract

Introduction:E xtraordinarily high tuberculosis (TB) prevalence rates have been reported in Venezuelan Amerindians. Amerindian populations often live in geographically isolated villages where they receive little medical attention and live under precarious sanitary conditions. TB prevalence varies by ethnicity and geographic location and is generally higher in Amerindians than in non-indigenous (Creole) people.

Methodology: Between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2009, the tuberculin skin test (TST) was administered during field operations to 9,538 Amerindian and Creole people between 0 and 94 years of age living in Venezuela. In 6,979 individuals (73%), Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination status, age, and ethnicity were recorded.Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the influence of previous BCG vaccination, age, and ethnicity on TST outcomes.

Results: Age, ethnicity, and the number of BCG vaccinations administered each had a significant influence on TST outcomes (p < 0.001). The influence of BCG vaccination on TST outcomes varied by ethnicity and was only significant in children aged between 0 and 3 years.

Conclusions: The utility of TST in the diagnosis of TB infection in high TB burden settings with widespread BCG vaccination should be evaluated locally and individually as this depends on ethnicity, age, and the number of BCG vaccinations administered. In Venezuelan children 4 years of age and older, the TST remains a useful tool for the detection of TB infection, independent of BCG vaccination status.

Author Biographies

Mailis Maes, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela

Laboratorio de Tuberculosis

Lilly M Verhagen, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela

Laboratorio de Tuberculosis, Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Yajaira Segovia, Ministerio de Salud, Estado Delta Amacuro, Tucupita, Venezuela

Comisión de Salud del Municipio Antonio Diaz

Berenice del Nogal, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela

Facultad de Medicina José María Vargas, Departamento de Pediatría

Jacobus H de Waard, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela

Laboratorio de Tuberculosis, Facultad de Medicina José María Vargas

Downloads

Published

2014-02-13

How to Cite

Maes M, Verhagen LM, Ortega D, Sánchez GL, Segovia Y, del Nogal B, de Waard JH (2014) Influence of Bacille Calmette-Guérin on tuberculin skin testing in Venezuelan Amerindians in high tuberculosis burden areas. J Infect Dev Ctries 8:176–183. doi: 10.3855/jidc.3297

Download Citation

Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 02: February 2014

Section

Original Articles

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).