Microbiologia Medica (Mar 2010)

Clinical utility of QuantiFERON TB Gold Test in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infections

  • Salvatore Nisticò,
  • Giuseppe Ivan Potente,
  • Maria Teresa Cerminara,
  • Lavinia Scuro,
  • Angela Luciano

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4081/mm.2010.2473
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 25, no. 1

Abstract

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Introduction: Early diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection can avoid a progression to active tuberculosis.The interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production measured by the new interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) can be used to identify subjects with, because the tuberculin skin test, is unreliable to discriminative between subjects with and others. Methods: 186 patients tested positive with the tuberculin skin test were evaluated with QuantiFERON- TB Gold [QFT-G (Cellestis Ltd, Carnegie, Australia)]. Results: 61 (32.8%) samples showed a positive response with QFT-G test and only 1 (0.54%) patient tested indeterminate. Conclusion: These preliminary data suggest that QFT-G-positivity showed a strong correlation with clinical suspect of latent tuberculosis infection.

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