Tuberculin Skin Test and QuantiFERON-TB Gold Assay before and after Treatment for Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Health Care Workers in Local Tertiary Hospital.
10.4046/trd.2007.62.4.270
- Author:
Seung Jun LEE
1
;
Hyeon Sik KIM
;
Jung Eun MA
;
Sang Min LEE
;
Hyun Seok HAM
;
Yu Ji CHO
;
Yi Yeong JEONG
;
Ho Cheol KIM
;
Jong Deok LEE
;
Sun Joo KIM
;
Young Sil HWANG
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea. hochkim@gsnu.gshp.co.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI);
Treatment;
Tuberculin skin test (TST);
QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay;
Health care workers
- MeSH:
Cohort Studies;
Delivery of Health Care*;
Employment;
Isoniazid;
Latent Tuberculosis*;
Rifampin;
Skin Tests*;
Skin*;
Tertiary Care Centers*;
Tuberculin*;
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary;
Volunteers
- From:Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
2007;62(4):270-275
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay and tuberculin skin test (TST) have been useful test for diagnosing latent tuberculosis infections (LTBI). However, there are few reports on the efficacy of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay and TST in evaluating the response after the treatment of LTBI. This study examined the changes in the TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay before and after a treatment for latent tuberculosis in health care workers (HCWs) at a local tertiary hospital. METHODS: A cohort of volunteers working as nurses and doctors who underwent a TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay was established. The volunteers positive for the QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay had been treated with 3 months of isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RFP). After completing treatment, the TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay were repeated. RESULTS: Of the 48 participants (14 doctors, 34 nurses, M: F=11:37, mean age=29.9+/-5.5 years, mean employment period=74.9+/-64.3 months), 19 (39.6%) tested positive to the TST (mean induration=19.1+/-9.7 mm) and 8 (16.7%) were QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay. Among them, one had active pulmonary tuberculosis. Seven volunteers were consistently positive to both the TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay after being medicated with INH and RFP for 3 months. CONCLUSION: TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay are unsuitable for evaluating the treatment response of LTBI because they were consistently positive both before and after the anti-tuberculosis medication.
