[Tuberculin sensitivity and tolerance of "direct" BCG vaccination of youths leaving school].

In 3,296 school-leavers (girls and boys aged 16 years with preceding BCG-vaccination as newborns and without boosting by tuberculin-testing or revaccination during the meantime) simultaneously with compulsory BCG-revaccination tuberculin testing with 2 TU PPD Dessau + Tween 80 was performed in 3 regions of the GDR (Cottbus, Erfurt, Neubrandenburg) in the 2nd half of 1985 and in the 1st quarter of 1986. Sensitivity to tuberculin was found in 7.3% considering reactions with greater than or equal to 6 mm induration as positive, and in 2.9% considering reactions with greater than or equal to 10 mm only. Positive reactions greater than or equal to 6 mm include remaining allergy caused by BCG and non-specific tuberculin sensitivity while a reaction limit greater than or equal to 10 mm is suitable to define tuberculosis infection prevalence. In contrast to studies performed 1973 and 1979 in the same territories a significant decrease in tuberculin sensitivity was evident (43.8% positive reactions (greater than or equal to 6 mm) in 1973 and 11.7% in 1979). The acceptability of "direct" BCG-revaccination has been estimated by evaluation of local reactions 4 weeks after vaccination in 2,123 school-leavers. The ulceration rate in tuberculin positive adolescents was significantly higher than in tuberculin negative. It showed highly significant decrease in comparison with 1979.