The prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis using different methods in group screenings.

In order to find the most precise and practical procedure to record the prevalence of tuberculosis in group screenings, 7405 students staying at Hacettepe University dormitories between 1984 and 1987 were screened by 3 different methods used in tuberculosis screening, namely microfilms, tuberculin tests and tuberculosis symptoms (cough, hemoptysis, weight loss, etc). The average sensitivity of these tests were found to be as follows: microfilm 6.3%, tuberculin 45.8%, screening of tuberculosis symptoms 60.4%. The most ideal tuberculosis group screening method was found to be detailed examination of cases with symptoms of tuberculosis plus cases who are at the pathological border in tuberculin skin tests (with BCG inoculations > or = 20 mm and without BCG inoculation > or = 10 mm).