Mantoux Test

The Mantoux test is a skin test with tuberculin that is performed to diagnose tuberculosis.

During this test, a small amount of tuberculin, a purified extract of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is injected intradermally. If a person is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, then an immune reaction develops at the site of tuberculin injection in the form of local hyperemia and infiltrate (papules).

The test is named after the French physician Charles Mantoux, who at the beginning of the 20th century developed a standardized method for performing this test.

The Mantoux test is widely used to screen for tuberculosis in children and adults. A positive test result indicates infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but is not a diagnosis of active tuberculosis. Additional examinations are needed to confirm the diagnosis.

Mantoux test

**Mantoux test** is a test that detects infection with tubercle bacilli (Mycobacterium tuberculosis). As the name implies, the name of the test comes from the name of the most famous virologist of the 20th century, Albert Mantua. This test involves injecting purified tuberculin into the skin and then observing the reaction of the injection site using a clear plate. This makes it possible to diagnose tuberculosis, previously carried by the adult population, young during growth, to recognize infected children and adolescents before symptoms appear. The test is performed for children older than 6 months; in recent years, the Mantoux test has become more common in newborns. The first positive test results appear after 72-96 hours, but the final analysis is carried out 4 weeks after the first test. When performing a Mantoux test, a tuberculin solution is injected subcutaneously into the arm with a syringe. The injected substances interact with the lymph nodes around the injection site and stimulate them to dilate and increase lymphocytes in nearby blood vessels. The Mantoux test reaction can be classified as:

- *negative:* observed when there are no visible changes during the test. Lack of response usually means