Use of T-SPOT.TB in latent tuberculosis infection diagnosis in general and immunosuppressed populations

New Microbiol. 2007 Jul;30(3):286-90.

Abstract

Immunosuppressed patients have a nine-fold greater risk of developing active tuberculosis (TB) disease given the latent TB infection than the general population. Few data are available on the predictivity of T-SPOT.TB in immunosuppressed patients. We had a T-SPOT.TB determination and a TST from 197 immunosuppressed haematological patients and 324 community contacts of infectious TB cases. In the general population, TST was positive in 275 (84.9%), T-SPOT.TB in 167 (51.5%) (p < 0.0001). In immunosuppressed patients, TST was positive in 34 (17.3%), T-SPOT.TB in 70 (35.5%). T-SPOT.TB is not influenced by immunosuppression and even an indeterminate result may yield useful information on patient's anergy.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / immunology
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Bacteriological Techniques*
  • Carrier State / diagnosis*
  • Hematologic Diseases / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunocompetence*
  • Immunocompromised Host*
  • Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Logistic Models
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / metabolism
  • Peptides / immunology
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Species Specificity
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Tuberculosis / diagnosis*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Interferon-gamma