Serial Assays of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube and QuantiFERON-TB Gold-Plus in Subjects Exposed to Patients with Active Tuberculosis

摘要

The detection and management of subjects with latent tuberculosisinfection (LTBI) are important steps to control and decreasethe incidence of tuberculosis (TB). Exposure to patientswith active TB is one of the most important transmission routesof LTBI [1]. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assays (IGRAs),in particular, the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay (QFT;QIAGEN, Germantown, MD, USA), have been widely used forinvestigating subjects exposed to patients with active TB. However,high reversion rates and low reproducibility of QFT havealso been documented [2].