[A prevalence study of tuberculous infection in the schoolchild population in the 1st year of general basic education in Logroño].

OBJECTIVE

To find the extent and spread of endemic tuberculosis in La Rioja and assess its tuberculosis control programme.

DESIGN

Prevalence study.

SETTING

Both public and private EGB (general basic education) schools in Logroño.

PATIENTS AND OTHERS PARTICIPANTS

All students registered for the first year of EGB.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A tuberculin test, consisting of two international units (IU) of PPD-23 with tween 80, was carried out. We obtained a prevalence of tubercular infection of 1.12 +/- 0.58%, with a 95% confidence interval and standard error calculated at 0.29%.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of prevalence of tubercular infection in children doing the first year of EGB in La Rioja is high, as seen in the high rates of incidence and carriers. The findings support the appropriateness of continuing with this type of study, for two reasons. The first is the need to establish the annual risk of infection (ARI) in order to monitor how endemic tuberculosis evolves in our community and assess the tuberculosis control programme. The second reason is that, by checking infected children, it becomes possible to prevent or treat new cases of tuberculosis and find possible unknown sources and future reservoirs of infection.