Ozdemir D, Annakkaya A N, Tarhan G, Sencan I, Cesur S, Balbay O, Guclu E
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Duzce University Medical School, Duzce, Turkey.
Jpn J Infect Dis. 2007 May;60(2-3):102-5.
The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of the tuberculin skin test (TST) and the quantiferon test (QFT) for detecting latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in health care workers (HCWs). Seventy-six participants who were working in Duzce University Hospital, where tuberculosis patients were being treated, were included in the study. TST was performed according to the Mantoux technique. QFT was performed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. A positive TST result was defined as an induration diameter of > or = 15 mm. TSTs were positive in 41 of 76 participants (53.9%) and QFT was positive in 65 of 76 participants (85.5%). There was a significant difference between the numbers of QFT-positive and TST-positive cases (P=0.02). When the induration diameter of TST was > or = 20 mm, QFT positivity was 100%. Multivariate analysis revealed that there was a significant correlation between the percentage of patients with QFT positivity and the induration diameter of TST (P=0.009). QFT thus seems to be more effective for LTBI diagnosis than TST. However, large-scale trials including quantitative measurement of QFT in subgroups taking into account the division where HCWs are employed and the different results of TST might clarify the usefulness of QFT in LTBI diagnosis.
本研究旨在比较结核菌素皮肤试验（TST）和全血γ干扰素释放试验（QFT）在检测医护人员（HCWs）潜伏性结核感染（LTBI）方面的疗效。纳入了76名在杜兹切大学医院工作且该医院正在治疗结核病患者的参与者。TST按照曼托试验技术进行。QFT按照制造商的说明进行。TST阳性结果定义为硬结直径≥15mm。76名参与者中41名（53.9%）TST呈阳性，76名参与者中65名（85.5%）QFT呈阳性。QFT阳性和TST阳性病例数之间存在显著差异（P = 0.02）。当TST硬结直径≥20mm时，QFT阳性率为100%。多变量分析显示，QFT阳性患者百分比与TST硬结直径之间存在显著相关性（P = 0.009）。因此，QFT在LTBI诊断方面似乎比TST更有效。然而，考虑到医护人员工作科室以及TST不同结果等因素，纳入QFT定量测量的大规模亚组试验可能会阐明QFT在LTBI诊断中的实用性。
