Comparison of two commercially available gamma interferon blood tests for immunodiagnosis of tuberculosis

Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2008 Jan;15(1):168-71. doi: 10.1128/CVI.00364-07. Epub 2007 Oct 31.

Abstract

We evaluated the T-SPOT.TB and Quantiferon-TB Gold In tube (QFN-G-IT) tests for diagnosing Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. T-SPOT.TB was more sensitive than QFN-G-IT in diagnosing both active and latent infection. Both gamma interferon tests were unaffected by prior Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccination. Among children who were not BCG vaccinated but had a positive tuberculin skin test, QFN-G-IT was negative in 53.3% of cases, and T-SPOT.TB was negative in 50% of cases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
  • Bacterial Proteins / immunology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma / blood*
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification
  • Peptides / immunology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic*
  • Tuberculin Test / methods
  • Tuberculosis / blood
  • Tuberculosis / diagnosis*
  • Tuberculosis / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • CFP-10 protein, Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • ESAT-6 protein, Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • Peptides
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Interferon-gamma