Tuberculin skin test and QuantiFERON in children

New Microbiol. 2013 Apr;36(2):153-6. Epub 2013 Mar 31.

Abstract

Until some time ago, the tuberculin skin test was the only available screening test for the diagnosis of tubercular infection. Now the new interferon-? release assay QuantiFERON-TB Gold shows promise of greater accuracy in the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected subjects. The aim of our study was to evaluate the use of QuantiFERONTB Gold in children and to verify its agreement with the tuberculin skin test. A total of 27 children had a positive tuberculin skin test, 76 subjects were negative and the remaining 2 had a dubious Mantoux test. A positive QuantiFERONTB Gold result was obtained in 21 children while in 84 it was negative. No statistically significant difference was detected between the two assays, which showed a concordance of 90.57%. Our results demonstrated a good concordance between the tuberculin skin test and the interferon-? release assay, though the QuantiFERON-TB may have several advantages over the Mantoux test.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine / instrumentation
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Male
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Skin / immunology*
  • Skin Tests / instrumentation
  • Skin Tests / methods*
  • Tuberculin Test
  • Tuberculosis / diagnosis*
  • Tuberculosis / immunology
  • Tuberculosis / microbiology

Substances

  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Interferon-gamma