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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Interferon-γ release assays do not identify more children with active tuberculosis than the tuberculin skin test
European Respiratory Journal, Volume 33, No. 6, Year 2009
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Description
Data are lacking on the performance of interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs) in children. Although IGRAs are recommended for screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), many clinicians wish to employ them as a diagnostic test for active tuberculosis (TB). The objective of the present study was to compare the performance of the two commercially available IGRAs and the tuberculin skin test (TST) side-by-side in children with active TB and LTBI. In a prospective study, 209 children were investigated for active (n=91) or latent TB (n=118). TST, QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-tube (QFG-IT; Cellestis, Carnegie, Australia) and T-SPOT.TB (Oxford Immunotec, Abingdon, UK) assays were simultaneously used. For culture-confirmed active TB, the sensitivity of the TST was 83%, compared with 80% for QFG-IT and 58% for T-SPOT.TB. IGRAs did not perform significantly better than TST, although QFG-IT was significantly better than T-SPOT.TB. The agreement between QFG-IT and T-SPOT.TB in culture-confirmed TB was poor at 66.7%. In LTBI, the agreement between QFG-IT and T-SPOT. TB was very good (92%) with moderate agreement between TST and T-SPOT.TB (75%) and QFG-IT and TST (77%). A negative interferon-γ release assay should not dissuade paediatricians from diagnosing and treating presumed active tuberculosis. If used for diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection, interferon-γ release assays could significantly reduce the numbers of children receiving chemoprophylaxis. Very good concordance between both tests was found. Copyright©ERS Journals Ltd 2009.
Authors & Co-Authors
Kampmann, Beate B.
United Kingdom, London
Imperial College London
Whittaker, Elizabeth A.
United Kingdom, London
Imperial College London
Williams, Amanda J.
United Kingdom, London
The Royal London Hospital
Martinez-Alier, Nuria
United Kingdom, London
Imperial College London
Williams, Bhanu
United Kingdom, London
Imperial College Healthcare Nhs Trust
Crook, Angela M.
United Kingdom, London
Medical Research Council
Anderson, Suzanne T.B.
United Kingdom, London
Imperial College London
Statistics
Citations: 146
Authors: 7
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1183/09031936.00153408
ISSN:
13993003
Research Areas
Infectious Diseases
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Cohort Study