A comparison of Mantoux and tuberculin Tine testing in a chest unit

Simultaneous Mantoux (10 T.U.) and Tuberculin Tine tests were performed on 393 in-patients on a chest unit. The results were read by the same observer between 48 and 72 hours later. The overall agreement between the tests was 78%; this rose to 90% if patients categorised as 'doubtful' reactors were reclassified as positive. Where one test was 'doubtful' the other was more than 3 times as likely to be positive as negative. It is suggested that the 'doubtful' category by abandoned for both tests and readings in this range be reclassified as positive. In patients expected on clinical grounds to be positive reactors, over one-third were negative to both tests; in those expected to be negative over one-fifth were positive. The Tine test is convenient and gives results which seem to correlate well with the Mantoux test, although neither test appears to be highly specific.