Evaluation of tuberculin skin test in HIV - exposed and uninfected infants vaccinated with BCG in the first two months of life

• Grant number: 14/19708-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: April 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Maria Isabel de Moraes Pinto
• Grantee: Danielle Akemi Bergara Kuramoto
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Tuberculosis is the most important opportunistic infection among individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); HIV-exposed infants, compared to those not exposed, are more vulnerable to infection with M. tuberculosis, since they have increased risk of household contact with adults diagnosed with active disease. Besides that, some studies suggest that these children may have an inadequate immune response to BCG vaccination. A positive tuberculin skin test may suggest latent tuberculosis if the induration size is greater than or equal to 10mm for those vaccinated with BCG for less than two years and 5mm for those vaccinated with BCG for over two years. There is no data in the literature to establish which is the best cut off to determine latent tuberculosis infection in HIV-exposed uninfected infants vaccinated with BCG for less than two years. This study aims to establish the size of the average induration after tuberculin skin test in HIV-exposed uninfected infants. Children between 8 and 18 months of age, born to HIV-infected mothers and vaccinated with BCG in the first two months of life, without known contact with adults with cough for more than 3 weeks will be included in the study. A pilot study with 10 children will define the number of children required for the project. The results of this research may confirm the 10mm cut off for children aged up to 2 years who are HIV-exposed and uninfected, as suggested by the Brazilian Pneumology and Tisiology Society.