title: QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection.
abstract: Tuberculin skin test (TST) has been used for 100 years for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI). In recent years, increasing interest in the diagnosis of TB has led to the development of new assays. QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT-G) is an IFN-gamma-release assay that measures the release of interferon after stimulation in vitro by Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens. The main advantage of this assay with respect to TST is the lack of crossreaction with bacillus Calmette-Guérin and most nontuberculous mycobacteria. QFT-G also eliminates the need for the patient to return for test reading in 48-72 h. In the immunocompromised host and in pediatric populations, studies suggest that the QFT-G better correlates with the risk of TB than the TST, but data remain inconclusive. In contrast to TST, there are no prospective studies regarding the association of the QFT-G result and the risk for development of TB. Given its advantages, the QFT-G may become the standard test for the diagnosis of LTBI.
authors.affiliation: Provincial Laboratory for Public Health Microbiology, University of Alberta Hospital, WMC 2B4.57, 8440 122 Street, Edmonton, AB, Canada. o.manuel@provlab.ab.ca
authors.forename: Oriol
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Manuel
authors.forename: Deepali
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D007371:Interferon-gamma