DIASKINTEST as a screening metod at the mass child health examination for tuberculosis in Russia

The Russian Federation has developed a new efficient method for the detection of initial tuberculosis presentation, DIASKINTEST, which is a combination of two antigens, present in the virulent strains of Koch's bacilli and absent in the BCG vaccine strain and strains of other nonpathogenic mycobacteria. The purpose of research is the study of the efficient usage of current diagnostic program as an alternative to the open patch test with PPDL (PPD test with 2 TE) in conditions of screening programs for tuberculosis. Children and teenagers, school and college students are divided into two groups by the method of total single-step survey. The first group comprises of children (aged 7-14) in the quantity of 816 individuals, the second group comprises of teenagers (15-17 years) in the quantity of 422 individuals. Over 44% of children and teenagers had a positive take to PPDL. All children (in the quantity of 1238 individuals) were examined via DIASKINTEST. Only 4% of them revealed positive reactions to it. 7 patients showed the activity of local tuberculous changes during the X-ray examination. Thus, detection of local tuberculosis at the examination of all schoolchildren and teenagers with the help of DIASKINTEST made 0,56%. Conclusion: The implementation of a new method of tuberculosis diagnostics as a screening method of examination of children and teenagers in the medical practice, which possesses a high specificity owing to the use of secretory proteins ESAT-6 and CFP-10 and its easy test version will allow to enhance the efficiency of tuberculous infection diagnosis, reduce unnecessary expenses and improve the overall epidemic situation on tuberculosis.