title: Use of interferon-gamma release assay for latent tuberculosis infection screening in older adults exposed to tuberculosis in a nursing home.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the additive value of a newly marketed interferon-gamma release assay, QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT), to a single tuberculin skin test (TST) for the detection of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in older adults who have been exposed to TB in a nursing home.
  
  
  METHODS
  Contact tracing included clinical examination, chest radiography, TST, and QFT-GIT in TST-negative people (TST< 5 mm).
  
  
  METHODS
  A private nursing home.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-seven individuals (63 elderly residents, 14 young employees) who had been exposed to an active TB case in a private nursing home.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparison of TST and QFT-GIT in older adults who have been exposed to TB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the TST, the positive response rate was 31.7% (n=20) of elderly residents and 43% (n=6) of staff. Positive QFT-GIT results were obtained in seven (16.3%) elderly residents with negative TST, six of whom were aged 80 and older. QFT-GIT increased the percentage of possible LTBI in this group from 31.7% to 42.9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QFT-GIT has a significant additive value to single TST for detecting LTBI in institutionalized older adults, identifying infected subjects anergic to the TST.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumonology, University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. eprevezi@cc.uoi.gr
authors.forename: Stamatis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katsenos
authors.forename: Melita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nikolopoulou
authors.forename: Constantina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gartzonika
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manda-Stachouli
authors.forename: Athena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gogali
authors.forename: Christodoula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grypaiou
authors.forename: Anestis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mavridis
authors.forename: Stavros H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Constantopoulos
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Daskalopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009735:Nursing Homes; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma