title: Impact of a T cell-based blood test for tuberculosis infection on clinical decision-making in routine practice.
abstract: New T cell-based blood tests for tuberculosis infection could improve diagnosis of tuberculosis but their clinical utility remains unknown. We describe the role of the ELISpot test in the diagnostic work-up of 13 patients presenting with suspected tuberculosis in routine practice. Of the seven patients with a final diagnosis of active tuberculosis, all were positive by ELISpot including three with false-negative tuberculin skin test results. Rapid determination of tuberculosis infection by ELISpot accelerated the diagnosis of tuberculosis, enabling early treatment initiation.
authors.affiliation: Tuberculosis Immunology Group, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gooding
authors.forename: Oni
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hinks
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Richeldi
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Losi
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ewer
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Millington
authors.forename: Ruba
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gunatheesan
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cerri
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McNally
authors.forename: Ajit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lalvani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*