Equal sensitivity of the new generation QuantiFERON-TB Gold plus in direct comparison with the previous test version QuantiFERON-TB Gold IT

摘要

QuantiFERON-TB Gold IT analyses interferon-gamma release from CD4(+) T cells after stimulation with specific tuberculosis (TB) antigens. Its sensitivity is approximately 80% for active TB. A new test generation (QFTGplus) also analyses the response of CD8(+) T cells. We investigated both test generations in a direct head-to-head comparison in a German pulmonary hospital. Sensitivity rates for active TB were identical, no matter whether diagnosis was bacteriologically confirmed or not. H. Hoffmann, (C) 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.