The use of testosterone supplementation therapy (TST) is increasing primarily in men with symptomatic hypogonadism. While TST has been shown to have numerous benefits, as its use increases, the role on cardiovascular health must be explored. Previous evidence showed no adverse cardiovascular risks associated with TST use; however, more recent studies suggest that there may be an associated risk...

BACKGROUND Tuberculosis is a major occupational hazard in low and middle-income countries. Limited data exist on serial testing of healthcare workers (HCWs) with interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs) for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), especially in low and middle-income countries. We sought to evaluate the rates of and risk factors for LTBI prevalence and LTBI test conversion among HCWs us...

BACKGROUND Tuberculin skin testing (TST) and preventive treatment of tuberculosis (TB) are recommended for all persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We aimed to assess the effect of TST and preventive treatment of TB on the incidence of TB in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy in an area with low rates of TB transmission. METHODS We calculated the incidence of ...

BACKGROUND The tuberculin skin test (TST) frequently yields false positive results among BCG-vaccinated persons thereby limiting its diagnostic value particularly in settings with high BCG vaccination rate. We determined the agreement between IGRA and TST using 2 cutoff values and identified possible relationships between the results of these tests and the development of active tuberculosis. ...

RATIONALE Screening and treating newly arriving immigrants for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in low-incidence countries could be promising to reduce the tuberculosis incidence among this population. The effectiveness of screening with the tuberculin skin test (TST) is unknown. OBJECTIVES To estimate the risk of progression to tuberculosis within two years after entry, stratified by TST...

BACKGROUND The screening of both healthcare workers and students attending teaching hospitals for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is recommended in hospitals of many countries with a low-incidence of TB, including Italy, as a fundamental tool of tuberculosis (TB) control programs. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of LTBI and evaluate the main risk-factors associated with...

BACKGROUND End stage renal disease increases the risk of reactivating latent tuberculosis (LTBI). Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRA) are an alternative to the tuberculin skin test (TST) for detecting LTBI. METHODS Sixty-two hemodialysis patients (46 male, 16 female, aged 65 +/- 15 years) from 3 hemodialysis facilities in the Geneva area were submitted to a TST, 2 IGRA (T-SPOT.TB and Quant...

BACKGROUND Tuberculosis (TB) disproportionately affects immigrants, HIV-infected individuals, and those living in crowded settings such as homeless shelters and correctional facilities. Although the majority of jails and prisons use a tuberculin skin test (TST) for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening, limited data exist on the clinical performance and costs of the TST compared to int...

BACKGROUND The utility of two-step tuberculin skin testing among adolescents in high tuberculosis prevalence settings is not well established. OBJECTIVES To determine the proportion and determinants of a 0-4 mm response to an initial standard tuberculin skin test (TST) and evaluating 'boosting' with repeat testing. METHODS Adolescents between 11 and 18 years attending schools/colleges under...

BACKGROUND Interferon-release assays (IGRAs) for diagnosing active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) are not yet fully validated, particularly in high TB-endemic areas as the People's Republic of China (PRC). The aim of this report was to assess the performance of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-tube (QFT-GIT) and tuberculin skin test (TST), in addition to microbiological results, as contributors for dia...