Screening for tuberculosis infection in children and adolescents by two intracutaneous tests: with tuberculin and tuberculosis recombinant allergen (ESAT-6/CFP-10) in Moscow in 2021

The objective: to evaluate effectiveness of mass screening for tuberculosis infection in children and adolescents in Moscow using two different options according to age; to determine impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on effectiveness of screening campaign judging by incidence rates in children and adolescents.

Subjects and Methods. In 2021, 758,634 children aged 0-7 years, or 99.2% of those to be screened, were screened using the Mantoux test. Should the reaction increase compared to the previous year, an additional test with the tuberculosis recombinant allergen (TRA) was performed. Children of 8-17 years old were screened only with TRA test. 1,070,961 people were examined, or 97.9% of those to be examined.

Results. It has been demonstrated that the test with TRA can be used as a screening tool and effectively identify patients with a high risk of tuberculosis development. The preventive therapy received by those positively responding to TRA test resulted in almost no disease in them. The predominance of new cases with post-tuberculosis changes over new cases of active tuberculosis while the number of both is decreasing indicates the ability of the methods (TRA together with computed tomography) to detect minor forms of the active disease and post-tuberculous changes. In 2021 versus 2020, the number of children diagnosed with tuberculosis did not statistically significantly increase because of those who failed to be detected in 2020 due to incomplete coverage with screening related to spread of COVID-19. However, in 2021 the rates were lower than in 2019 which confirmed their positive change.

Conclusion: Screening with TRA test is effective, easy to perform and can be used in primary health care.

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