Patients with a positive tuberculin skin test without active tuberculosis are identified as having latent tuberculosis infection. After an initial, often clinically silent infection with tuberculosis, infection with tuberculosis can remain dormant, with the potential to progress to active infection at a later time. Approximately 5% of patients with latent tuber-will develop active infection in the first 2 years after primary infection, and an additional 5% will develop active infection later in life. In addition, patients who are immunocompromised will develop active infection at a much higher rate. Progression from latent to active tuberculosis in those who have coexisting human immunodeficiency (HIV) infection is approximately 10% per year. The only clinical indicator of latent tuberculosis infection in a patient may be a positive tuberculin skin test. Administration of the tuberculin skin test allows the identification of individuals with latent tuberculosis, and these people will benefit from treatment of their infection.The terms prophylaxis or preventative therapy have previously been used to describe what is now more accurately called treatment of latent tuberculosis infection. This change in nomenclature was made to help foster a better understanding of the need for tuberculin skin testing and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection.*53/348/5*
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DEFINITION OF LATENT TUBERCULOSIS
Posted: April 19th, 2011 under Anti-Infectives.
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