To evaluate the agreement between QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test (QFT-GIT) and tuberculin skin test (TST) for the screening of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in recent immigrants to Italy, 279 subjects were submitted to concomitant TST and QFT-GIT. The agreement was analyzed using k statistics. A total of 72/279 (25.8%) individuals were TST positive, while 107/279 (38.3%) were QFT-GIT p...

OBJECTIVES Evidence for the utility of the new Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) specific IFN-γ release assays in diagnosing latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is growing. However, data concerning conversion and reversion rates in serial testing of healthcare workers (HCWs) with an interferon-γ release assay are sparse. METHODS Between February 2007 and September 2009, 670 HCWs in the Univer...

BACKGROUND Tuberculosis is a major occupational hazard in low and middle-income countries. Limited data exist on serial testing of healthcare workers (HCWs) with interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs) for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), especially in low and middle-income countries. We sought to evaluate the rates of and risk factors for LTBI prevalence and LTBI test conversion among HCWs us...

Tuberculosis elimination requires an effective strategy to diagnose and treat people infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis who would otherwise be at high risk of developing and transmitting active disease [1, 2]. The diagnostic tools for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) are the tuberculin skin test (TST) and the T-cell interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs). Two IGRAs are commercially avail...

QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) and tuberculin skin test (TST) results are reported in 23 children with active tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis. Overall QFT-GIT (96%) was more sensitive than TST (74%) for detecting tuberculosis infection in these patients.

OBJECTIVE To compare the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold (QFT-G) assay and tuberculin skin test (TST) in screening/diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among individuals in Trinidad & Tobago at high risk for TB. METHODS A total of 560 individuals (TB patient contacts, HIV patients, health care workers, prison inmates, and TB patients [controls]) were recruited for the study. Blood was drawn...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate yield and effectiveness of a large-scale contact investigation around a supermarket employee with infectious tuberculosis. Supermarket customers were screened by tuberculin skin test (TST) and/or radiography, depending on individual characteristics. The number of recent infections was estimated based on historical reference data after correction for ...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the prevalence of and factors associated with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) based on the tuberculin skin test (TST) and to estimate the boosted reaction rate among newly employed healthcare workers (HCWs). DESIGN Newly employed HCWs between January 2010 and July 2012 at Severance Hospital in South Korea were enrolled in this study. A one-step TST was conducted bef...

OBJECTIVES The tuberculin skin test (TST) and the QuantiFERON-TB Gold test (QFT) are used to identify latent tuberculosis infections (LTBIs). The aim of this study was to determine the agreement between these two tests among health care workers in Iran. METHODS This cross-sectional study included 177 tuberculosis (TB) laboratory staff and 67 non-TB staff. TST indurations of 10 mm or more were...

A profusion of articles have been published on the accuracy and uses of interferon-gamma releasing assays. Here we review the clinical applications, advantages, and limitations of the tuberculin skin test and interferon-gamma release assays and provide an overview of the most recent systematic reviews conducted for different indications for the use of these tests. We conclude that both tests ar...