Gaint Mantoux in Tubercular Lymphadenitis

Abstract

Mantoux test has been in vogue as ancillary aid for diagnosis of tuberculosis. The type of organ involvement, immune status of the patient, nutrition, drug intake and endemicity alters the tuberculin reactivity pattern. Mantoux is done by injecting intradermally purified protein derivative of tubercle bacillus. The positive reaction usually involves erythema and induration at 48 to 72 hours which usually settles down by one week. It is expected to have active tuberculosis in those immunocompetent patients whose Mantoux reads more than 20 mm induration.