BACKGROUND A Tuberculin skin test (TST) survey was conducted to assess the prevalence of latent TB Infection (LTBI) and to estimate the annual risk of M. tuberculosis infection (ARTI) in Gambian school children. The results are expected to contribute to understanding of Tuberculosis epidemiology in The Gambia. METHODS This was a nationwide, multi-cluster survey in children aged 6-11 years. Di...

The performance of the interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) and tuberculin skin test (TST) was reviewed retrospectively in patients with psoriasis, inflammatory musculoskeletal diseases, or miscellaneous inflammatory conditions. The study was carried out over a 22-month period using 109 records of patients with psoriasis (n = 21), musculoskeletal disease (n = 74), or other inflammatory condi...

Objective. Use of tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) and interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) as part of tuberculosis (TB) screening among immigrants from high TB-burden countries has not been fully evaluated. Methods. Prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (MTBI) based on TST, or the QuantiFERON-TB Gold test (QFT-G), was determined among immigrant applicants in Vietnam bound for the U...

The Enzyme Linked ImmunoSpot (ELISPOT) is a new rapid T cell based blood test (otherwise known as an interferon-c assay) for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection. The commercially available form of the assay, T-SPOTH TB (Oxford Immunotec, Abingdon, UK) has European regulatory approval as an in vitro diagnostic test and is increasingly being used in clinical practice. The test is based...

BACKGROUND Reactivation of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a health concern for patients on dialysis or receiving a kidney transplant, as these patients are often immunosuppressed. The most frequently used test for LTBI screening in this population is the tuberculin skin test (TST). The diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) of the TST in a contemporary North Am...

BACKGROUND Travelers to countries with high tuberculosis incidence can acquire infection during travel. We sought to compare four screening interventions for travelers from low-incidence countries, who visit countries with varying tuberculosis incidence. METHODS Decision analysis model: We considered hypothetical cohorts of 1,000 travelers, 21 years old, visiting Mexico, the Dominican Republi...

BACKGROUND Interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) are the first new diagnostic tests for latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) since the century-old tuberculin skin test (TST). They are cell-mediated immune-based blood tests that have revolutionised LTBI diagnosis and are increasingly recommended by national guidelines. OBJECTIVES With the rapid expansion of the IGRA evidence-base in rec...

Although the tuberculin skin test (TST) has been the mainstay of the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) for many decades, interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) are gaining acceptance and are more specific for this diagnosis. The characteristics of one such IGRA, the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Whole Blood In-Tube, make it feasible for use in a remote setting. This study performed 62 IG...

For nearly a century, the tuberculin skin test was the only tool available for the detection of latent tuberculosis infection. A recent breakthrough has been the development of T-cell-based interferon-gamma release assays. Current evidence suggests interferon-gamma release assays have higher specificity than the tuberculin skin test, better correlation with surrogate markers of exposure to Myco...