The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7317 p383
18 September 2004

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· Counterfeit drugs
· Packaging
· Simvastatin
· Shipman inquiry
· The register
· Personal control
· The Society
· New contract
· Employee pharmacists
· Tuberculosis
· Retention fee
· Overseas membership
· Onlooker

Letters to the Editor

Tuberculosis

Further important information

From Dr B. O. Hughes, MRPharmS

May I add a small but important addition to the tuberculin skin test limitations in Helen Booth’s succinct and comprehensive article (PDF 80K) on tuberculosis diagnosis (PJ, 4 September, p316)?

False negatives have been known, particularly with the Mantoux test, when the tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) dilution has been prepared with saline rather than the diluent used in the standard preparations available in the UK. The UK diluents have trace amounts of surfactant which prevent the tuberculin adhering to the syringe or ampoule surface. Such a problem causing false negatives may particularly occur in tropical situations where PPD is not always readily available in prepared solution but in dry powder ampoules, or on occasions where a lower strength Mantoux is prepared in situ.

Bryn Hughes
New Malden, Surrey

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