Zinc cream and reliability of tuberculosis skin testing

Emerg Infect Dis. 2007 Jul;13(7):1101-4. doi: 10.3201/eid1307.070227.

Abstract

In 50 healthy Peruvian shantytown residents, zinc cream applied to tuberculosis skin-test sites caused a 32% increase in induration compared with placebo cream. Persons with lower plasma zinc had smaller skin-test reactions and greater augmentation with zinc cream. Zinc deficiency caused false-negative skin-test results, and topical zinc supplementation augmented antimycobacterial immune responses enough to improve diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Topical
  • Adult
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Double-Blind Method
  • False Negative Reactions
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nutritional Status
  • Peru
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Risk Factors
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Skin / drug effects*
  • Social Class
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Trace Elements / blood
  • Trace Elements / pharmacology
  • Tuberculin Test / methods
  • Tuberculin Test / standards*
  • Tuberculosis / diagnosis*
  • Zinc / blood
  • Zinc / deficiency*
  • Zinc / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Trace Elements
  • Zinc