Revisiting Mantoux test in the era of immunization and Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis

Abstract

This review reinvents the role of mantoux test/tuberculin skin test (TST) in the laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). TB has been the most significant infectious disease responsible for severe morbidity and mortality worldwide. Asia and African continents constitute most of the burden of world TB. Although a treatable infectious disease, the exposed individuals do not always show clinical signs of infection. TB may be present latent in many infected population. Clinical, radiological, cultural and staining methods, molecular techniques and many other advanced laboratory methods are available for the diagnosis of TB. Among the various laboratory techniques available for the diagnosis of TB, Mantoux TST is a low cost and easily done test that if performed and interpreted appropriately can be used for diagnosis of TB.