Multiple skin testing of Kenyan schoolchildren with a series of new tuberculins

Abstract

SUMMARY This study on Kenyan schoolchildren aims to elucidate the effect of contact with environmental mycobacteria on the development of specific delayed hyper-sensitivity. A series of 12 skin test reagents was employed; eleven of them were prepared from extracts of living mycobacteria and the last was the P.P.D. RT 23. Eight of the new tuberculins were prepared from mycobacteria recovered from the East African environment. A total of 8641 tests were carried out on 4320 children between the ages of 6 and 17 years in four townships. Two of these townships were in fertile agricultural areas and two were in the desert. Just over 80% of the children had received BCG immunization. The results obtained showed that increasing age, geographical locality and BCG immunization all had a profound effect, and socioeconomic background had some effect, on the pattern of reactivity to the various reagents. The rationale behind the use of the series of new tuberculins and the results obtained with them are discussed in relation to the interacting effects of the factors complicating these results.