Material and methods: We performed QuantiFERON-TB Gold in Tube (QFT-G) in blood and CSF at 40 children diagnosed with TB meningitis and at 39 children with non TB meningitis, admitted between October 2006 and December 2009.
Results: The CSF analyses were suggestive for TB at 27 patients and only 14 had positive culture. The sensitivity of QFT-G in CSF was 72.72% and 69.44% in blood; specificity 96.96% in CSF and 89.18% in blood; the positive predictive value was 96% in CSF and 86.2% in blood; negative predictive value was 78.04% in CSF and 75% in blood. The sensitivity of TST was 61.76% and specificity 82.05%. The sensitivity of the culture from CSF was only 35%. The sensitivity and specificity of QFT-G was higher than TST and culture and better in CSF than in blood.
Conclusions: The determination of alpha-interferon in serum and CSF is useful diagnostic marker of tuberculosis who could improve the management of TB meningitis.