Six Mantoux tuberculin skin tests with 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 units in a healthy male without side-effects – is skin reaction a linear function of tuberculin dose?
2008

Skin Reaction to Different Tuberculin Doses

Sample size: 1 publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Dimoliatis Ioannis DK, Liaskos Christos A

Primary Institution: Department of Hygiene & Epidemiology, Ioannina University Medical School

Hypothesis

Is skin reaction a linear function of tuberculin dose?

Conclusion

There is no linear relationship between tuberculin dose and skin reaction; the reaction increases with dose but at a decreasing rate, especially after 2 TUs, with no side effects observed.

Supporting Evidence

  • Skin indurations increased with higher tuberculin doses but at a decreasing rate.
  • No side effects were observed after administering high doses of tuberculin.
  • The recommended dose for detecting natural infection is correctly defined as 2 TUs.

Takeaway

The more tuberculin you get, the bigger the reaction, but it doesn't get bigger and bigger at the same rate, especially after a certain point.

Methodology

Six simultaneous Mantoux tuberculin skin tests were applied using different doses of tuberculin in a healthy male.

Potential Biases

The self-experimentation by the author may introduce bias.

Limitations

The study is based on a single case report, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.

Participant Demographics

A healthy 35-year-old Greek male physician.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1757-1626-1-115

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication