title: Comparison of tuberculin skin test and a specific T-cell-based test, T-Spot.TB, for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection.
abstract: There is substantial evidence that the detection of T cells specific for the proteins ESAT-6 and CFP-10 using the ex vivo enzyme-linked immunospot technique is a marked improvement on the existing tuberculin skin test (TST). This new technique, which detects gamma-interferon-producing T cells, is now available as the commercial assay, T-Spot.TB. We compared the T-Spot.TB test with the TST for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in different groups of subjects. Significant accordance (85.7%) between the tests was found in subjects with active lung tuberculosis and in tuberculosis clinic and laboratory personnel (63.6%) but accordance was lowest and not significant amongst house contacts of tuberculosis patients (53.6%). We conclude that, in countries where vaccination is routinely performed, the T-Spot.TB test is a useful diagnostic test for LTBI in high-risk groups when carried out either together with the TST and/or to confirm the TST result.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Dicle, Diyarbakir, Turkey. tunozek@dicle.edu.tr
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozekinci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozbek
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Celik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic