BACKGROUND The sensitivities and specificities of interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) vary among different population studies, and the data on the routine use of IGRAs are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) test in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis. METHODS We conducted a prospective study, enrolling 77 patients with suspect...

Performance of interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) is influenced by preanalytical, laboratory and host factors. The data regarding how critical illnesses influence IGRA results are limited. This study aimed to investigate IGRA performance among critically ill patients. Patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) were prospectively enrolled, and underwent QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube testi...

Patients with chronic kidney disease are at increased risk of tuberculosis. We describe the events that occurred when we encountered a patient receiving haemodialysis with pulmonary tuberculosis. Nine (of 41) patients dialysing at the same time as the index case had a positive interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) and were offered therapy for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Patients with ...

BACKGROUND Elimination of tuberculosis (TB) in the United States requires treating not only persons with active disease but also those infected with TB. Achieving this goal requires understanding local TB infection prevalence and identifying subgroups at increased risk for infection and disease. METHODS The study population included all patients tested with an interferon-gamma release assay (...

BACKGROUND Interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs) for TB have the potential to replace the tuberculin skin test (TST) in screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). The higher per-test cost of IGRAs may be compensated for by lower post-screening costs (medical attention, chest x-rays and chemoprevention), given the higher specificity of the new tests as compared to that of the conventional...

INTRODUCTION This study is a part of the project on interferon gamma release assays performed in the group of untreated sarcoidosis patients formerly BCG vaccinated. The aim of the study was to assess the rate of positive commercial interferon g release assays in sarcoidosis patients. We discussed the results in the context of hypothesis that M. tuberculosis antigens may play a role in the path...

Current tests of tuberculosis (TB) infection (tuberculin skin test (TST), interferon (IFN)-γ-release assays (IGRAs) and IFN-γ-induced protein (IP)-10) have limitations and their value when used consecutively to identify infected children has not been explored. This study describes TST, IGRA and IP-10 responses in children in contact with adults with TB, the agreement of the tests and whether us...

Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) release assays (IGRAs) are used increasingly for the periodic tuberculosis (TB) screening of health care workers (HCWs), although data regarding the reproducibility and interpretation of serial testing results in countries with a low incidence of TB are scarce. The present study evaluated and compared the within-subject variability of dichotomous and continuous results ...

An understanding of the risk factors associated with acquiring and transmitting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is required for controlling tuberculosis (TB). We aimed to determine the risk factors and transmission factors for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in northeastern Thailand. Household contact persons (n = 70) and matched index patients with pulmonary TB (n = 42) who presented to ...

BACKGROUND Imperfect sensitivity of interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) is a potential problem to detect tuberculosis. We made a thorough investigation of the factors that can lead to false negativity of IGRA. METHODS We recruited 543 patients with new smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in Hanoi, Viet Nam. At diagnosis, peripheral blood was collected and IGRA (QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube) wa...