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SENSITIVITY TO TUBERCULIN, PPD–B AND HISTOPLASMIN IN THE POPULATION OF SABAH IN EAST MALAYSIA
Author(s) -
Roy R. N.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1971.tb50271.x
Subject(s) - tuberculin , antigen , population , medicine , immunology , tuberculosis , pathology , environmental health
A total adult population of 3,824, who are normally residents of the west coast and interior residencies in the State of Sabah, were given skin testings by three antigens, tuberculin PPD‐S, PPD‐B and histoplasmin. Of the population, 57·9% are tuberculin reactors, and reactor rate rises with the increase of age. An indurated area of 10 mm and above in diameter was treated as a positive reaction. Of the population tested with PPD‐B antigen, 87·2% reacted with an indurated area of 5 mm and above in diameter, which was treated as a positive reaction. Histoplasmin reactors appeared to be comparatively few, and only 11·8% gave positive reactions. An indurated area of 5 mm and above in diameter was treated as a positive reaction. No racial difference was noticed among reactors. However, the number reacting to tuberculin and histoplasmin antigen appears to be higher among males, whereas no such difference in frequency of reactions is noticed among those reacting to PPD‐B antigen. Of reactions to tuberculin antigen, 48·4% are large and appear in the range of 11 to 15 mm in diameter, 51·6% of subjects falling into the group of non‐reactors and having an indurated area in the range of 2 to 10 mm in diameter. Of reactions to PPD‐B antigen 57·4% fall into the range of 11 to 25 mm in diameter, indicating widespread mycobacterial infection. Small reactions to histoplasmin antigen are more common, 91% falling into the group of non‐reactors and in the range of 2 to 5 mm in diameter. However, 8% of the reactions fall into the range of 6 to 20 mm. The mean size of the reactions to histoplasmin 6 mm and above in diameter is 8·9 mm. Study shows that there is widespread infection with atypical or anonymous mycobacteria in the community. Histoplasmosis infection is also not uncommon.