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Review
. 2014 Jun;34(2):337-49.
doi: 10.1016/j.cll.2014.02.007. Epub 2014 Apr 12.

Interferon-gamma release assays

Robert Belknap  1 , Charles L Daley  2
Affiliations
Review

Interferon-gamma release assays

Robert Belknap et al. Clin Lab Med. 2014 Jun.

Abstract

Diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) should be targeted toward individuals and groups with high risk of progression to active tuberculosis (TB). Low-risk populations should not be screened. Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) perform as well or better than the tuberculin skin test in most targeted populations. IGRAs are preferred for bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-vaccinated populations. A positive IGRA in a person at low risk for TB exposure should be confirmed with a repeat test or another method before recommending LTBI treatment. The choice of which IGRA to use is generally based on the costs and feasibility of performing the test.

Keywords: Interferon-gamma release assays; Latent tuberculosis infection; QuantiFERON; T-SPOT; Tuberculin skin test; Tuberculosis.

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