The skin tuberculin test (TST), an example of a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction, is based on measuring the extent of skin induration to mycobacterial tuberculin (PPD). Little is known about the genetic basis of TST reactivity, widely used for diagnosing TB infection. The study investigated the relationship of the single base change polymorphic variants in CD14 gene (CD14(-159C/T)) ...

OBJECTIVES Spanish clinical guidelines recommend screening patients for tuberculosis (TB) before TNF inhibitors (TNFi) treatment. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of TST seroconversion as an estimation of the prevalence of latent TB in patients with rheumatic diseases and TNFi treatment that have already been screened for tuberculosis. METHODS TST, booster and chest x-ray were per...

OBJECTIVE To assess the utility of QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-tube (QFT-GIT) for targeting preventive therapy in BCG-vaccinated contacts of tuberculosis (TB), based on its high specificity and negative predictive value for development of TB. METHODS We compared two screening strategies for TB contact tracing in two consecutive periods: the tuberculin skin test (TST) period, when all contacts wer...

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...

Health care workers (HCW's) are always at an increased risk of contracting tuberculosis (TB) infection. In Saudi Arabia, Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) has not been evaluated as a screening tool for latent TB infection (LTBI) among HCW's considering their high demographic diversity. During February 2012 to January 2015 a cross sectional study has been conducted in a tertiary care center ...

BACKGROUND Individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an increased risk of progression to active tuberculosis following Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. The objective of the study was to determine IFN-γ responses for the detection of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) with QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In Tube (QFT-G-IT) and T-SPOT.TB in HIV patients, and evaluate the influe...

BACKGROUND Interferon-gamma release assays have emerged as a more specific alternative to the tuberculin skin test (TST) for detection of tuberculosis (TB) infection, especially in Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccinated people. We determined the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection by TST and QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) and assessed agreement between the two test meth...

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BACKGROUND Tuberculosis (TB) screening in prisons is recommended, but the appropriate methods remain controversial. Studies evaluating screening in remand prisons are scarce. METHOD Between 1997 and 2001, voluntary screening based on the tuberculin skin test (TST) was offered to all prisoners on entry into the largest remand prison in Switzerland. Prisoners with positive results underwent ch...

OBJECTIVE To define the prognostic value and cost-effectiveness of the treadmill stress test (TST) in comparison to the dipyridamole myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (DIP), in individuals > or = 75 years of age. METHODS Consecutive and prospective assessment of 66 patients (40% male) aged 81 +/- 5 years of which 57% were hypertensive, 38% had dyslipidemia and 28% were diabetics. The Bruce pr...