[Diaskintest for tuberculosis in children and adolescents]

To study whether Diaskintest might be used as a criterion for the activity of local tuberculous changes in children and adolescents, the authors examined three groups of patients aged 0 to 17 years: 1) 20 patients with new-onset tuberculosis in the progression phase; 2) 25 patients with new-onset tuberculosis in the regression phase with the signs of consolidation and calcification; 3) 18 tuberculosis dispensary Group IIIB patients who received the basic course of therapy and had residual posttuberculous changes as calcinates and compact foci. Group 3 was found to greatly differ from Groups 1 and 2 in the lower rates of positive reactions, the higher rate of negative reactions, and smaller papulae while the Mantoux test with 2 TE indicated that in Group 3, the papulae were smaller than those in Group 2. Responses to the Diaskintest test versus the Mantoux 2TE test were significantly more pronounced in patients with progressive tuberculosis and less marked in dispensary Group IIB patients who received the basic course of antituberculous therapy. Diaskintest was ascertained to be used in the complex examination of children and adolescents as a criterion for the activity of tuberculous changes in order to choose the tactics of treatment and follow-up of children and adolescents. The application of Diaskintest will allow more objective formation of dispensary Group IIIA of children served by a local phthisiatrician.