Heaf test
Heaf Test
The Heaf test (pronounced: /hiːf/), is a tuberculin skin test used for detecting tuberculosis or BCG vaccine response. The test was named after R. G. Heaf, the British physician who developed it in the mid-20th century.
Etymology
The term "Heaf test" is derived from the name of its inventor, Dr. R. G. Heaf, a British physician who was instrumental in the development of the test. The test was widely used in the United Kingdom until it was replaced by the Mantoux test in 2005.
Procedure
The Heaf test involves injecting a small amount of tuberculin into the skin using a Heaf gun. The gun has six needles arranged in a circle, which is pressed against the skin and fired. The reaction to the test is read 2-3 days later. The size and severity of the skin reaction indicate the presence or absence of a tuberculosis infection or a response to the BCG vaccine.
Interpretation
The results of the Heaf test are graded on a scale from 0 to 4, with 0 indicating no reaction and 4 indicating a severe reaction. A grade of 2 or more is considered positive, indicating a likely tuberculosis infection or a response to the BCG vaccine.
Related Terms
- Tuberculosis: A potentially serious infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs.
- BCG Vaccine: A vaccine primarily used against tuberculosis.
- Mantoux Test: A diagnostic tool for tuberculosis that replaced the Heaf test in the United Kingdom in 2005.
- Tuberculin: A purified protein derivative used in skin tests to detect tuberculosis.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Heaf test
- Wikipedia's article - Heaf test
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