[Tuberculin survey and its meaning for a correct prevention in a high risk population. Epidemiological data relative to students of the faculty of medicine and soldiers residing in Ferrara (author's transl)].

The Authors list the results obtained from a tuberculin survey carried out on students of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ferrara (school year 1977/1978) and on enlisting soldiers. A different skin positivity is here confirmed: a higher percentage in males (27.41%) than in females (17.91%). A higher frequency of positive responses is noted in students originating from the centre-south of Italy. Such tendency is principally due to the greater differences in skin positivity found in females. Students over 26 years of age show a skin positivity of more than 40%, whilst for 17 to 20 years old skin positivity ranges between 22% to 25%. The frequency of skin positivity in soldiers confirms the data found in male students of the same age group. Post vaccine control, although limited to a smaller group of students, shows a definite turn towards positivity with an average figure in both sexes of 63%. The Authors, although admit having carried out their survey on a small population, believe to have contributed with useful information on the epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in age groups with scarce statistical data.