An Usefulness of In Vitro Interferon Gamma Assay for the Diagnosis of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Middle- and High-School Students in Jeju-Shi, Korea.
10.4046/trd.2010.68.3.155
- Author:
Jong Myon BAE
1
;
Eun Hee KIM
;
Ok Bo WANG
Author Information
1. Department of Preventive Medicine, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea. jmbae@jejunu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:In Vitro ; Original Article
- Keywords:
Interferon-gamma Release Assay;
Latent Tuberculosis;
Student Health Services;
Tuberculin skin test;
Disease Outbreaks
- MeSH:
Benzeneacetamides;
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.);
Disease Outbreaks;
Humans;
Interferon-gamma Release Tests;
Interferons;
Korea;
Latent Tuberculosis;
Piperidones;
Skin Tests;
Student Health Services;
Thorax;
Tuberculin
- From:Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
2010;68(3):155-161
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The tuberculin skin test (TST) has limitations in diagnosing a latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). The interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) was introduced to middle- and high-school students since 2009 by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The aim was to evaluate the utility of IGRA in diagnosing LTBI in middle- and high-school students. METHODS: From August 2007 to July 2009, among suspected LTBI students showing TST induration with a 10 mm diameter and over with a normal chest x-ray in school students of Jeju city, 341 students underwent a Quanti FERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) test to confirm LTBI. RESULTS: From 348 students showing a positive TST, a QFT-IT test was carried out on 341 students. The positive QFT-IT rate was 52.8% (=180/341). The positive QFT-IT rate was higher in high-school boys with a 15~19 mm diameter of induration in TST. CONCLUSION: With the introduction of IGRA for diagnosing LTBI in middle- and high-school students, approximately 47% of students who show a TST induration with a 10 mm diameter and over can avoid taking unnecessary preventive chemotherapy. These results suggest that IGRA is useful for diagnosing and controlling LTBI in Korean students.
