Annual Risk of Tuberculosis Infection in Hellenic Air Force Recruits

The annual risk of Tuberculosis infection (ARTI) is a key indicator in epidemiology, of the extent of transmission in a community. There have been several suggested methods in order to evaluate the prevalence of Tuberculosis infection using tuberculin skin data. This survey estimates the ARTI in young Hellenic air force recruits. The effect of BCG vaccination has also been investigated.

During the period November 2006-November 2007 tuberculin skin tests were conducted to estimate the prevalence of mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and also to determine the ARTI. Tuberculin PPD-RT 23, dose 2 IU was used in 7.492 Greek air force military recruits with a mean age of 23.57 years. All recruits were examined for previous bacill Calmette-Guérin vaccination through BCG scar. A vast number of personal, epidemiological significance, data of the participants was collected.

The ARTI was 0.2%, in those who were not previously BCG vaccinated; this was derived from a tuberculin skin test cut-off point of 10 mm. There were not any statistically significant differences, neither between urban and rural population concerning the positivity of the tuberculin skin test, nor among the population in recent contact with immigrants from high-incidence countries.

The estimated ARTI among non BCG vaccinated young Greek men is 0.2%.