title: Comparison of tuberculin skin test and quantiferon-TB gold in tube test for diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in health care workers: A cross sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the diagnostic efficacy and agreement of the traditional tuberculin skin test with QuantiFERON-Tuberculosis Gold In-Tube test for latent tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional analytical study was conducted between March 1 and 31, 2008, at a specialist tuberculosis hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, and comprised healthcare workers who had been employed for at least one year at the hospital and volunteered to take part. Tuberculin skin test and QuantiFERON-Tuberculosis Gold In-Tube test were both performed simultaneously and their results were compared Using SPSS 12.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 34 subjects, 20(58.8%) had a positive tuberculin skin test, and 7(20.6%) had a positive QuantiFERON-Tuberculosis Gold In-Tube test. The two tests agreed in only 15(44.1%) cases and disagreed in 19(55.9%). In 16(47.1%) subjects, the QuantiFERON-Tuberculosis Gold In-Tube test was negative and tuberculin skin testwas positive, while in 3(8.8%) participants QuantiFERON-Tuberculosis Gold In-Tube test was positive and tuberculin skin test was negative. Kappa test revealed discordance between the two tests (k=-0.13; p=0.92).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Latent tuberculosis infection prevalence was higher based on tuberculin skin test than QuantiFERON-Tuberculosis Gold In-Tube test. The results of the two tests were discordant.
authors.affiliation: Kasimpasa Military Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bozkanat
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division, George Washington University Hospital, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Laboratory, Turkish Armed Forces Rehabilitation Center, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ogun
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sezer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tayfun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Caliskan
authors.affiliation: Kasimpasa Military Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erol
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Faruk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ciftci
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division, George Washington University Hospital, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Seyfettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gumus
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kartaloglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006763:Hospitals, Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014421:Turkey
keywords: Quantiferon, QFT-GIT, Tuberculin skin test, TST, IGRAs, Tuberculosis, Latent tuberculosis infection, LTBI.