A new study compared interferon-gamma–releasing tests with TST but did not provide any definitive answers.
The tuberculin skin test (TST) has limited sensitivity for diagnosing latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among HIV-infected patients because many of these individuals are anergic as a result of immunosuppression. Two recently approved blood tests — QuantiFERON-TB Gold and T-SPOT — have been proposed as alternatives with improved sensitivity. Both tests are based on the release of interferon (IFN)-γ from activated T cells that have been incubated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens.
In the present study, investigators evaluated the performance of all three tests among 286 HIV-infected patients in Germany (81% men) who had no clinical evidence of active TB disease. The median CD4 count in the population was 408 cells/mm3 (15% of patient…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresGrant/Research SupportNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse
Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes; Vaccines
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesInternational Antiviral Society–USA (Board of Directors); Infectious Diseases Society of America (Past President)
DisclosuresGrant/Research SupportNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse
Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes; Vaccines
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesInternational Antiviral Society–USA (Board of Directors); Infectious Diseases Society of America (Past President)