Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the usefulness of confirmatory QuantiFERON® (QFT) testing among tuberculin skin test (TST) positive contacts to diagnose latent tuberculous infection (LTBI) in tuberculosis (TB) outbreaks among adolescents. DESIGN: We used the Korean national claims database to identify the development of active TB disease in relation to initial TST (cut-off 10 mm induration) and subsequent QFT results. RESULTS: A total of 7475 contacts in 89 schools were divided into four groups: TST-(n = 5714), TST+/QFT+(n = 534), TST+/QFT- (n = 697) and TST+ only (n = 530). The mean duration of follow-up was 3.9 ± 0.9 years. For contacts with no LTBI treatment (n = 6868), TB incidence rates per 1000 person-years (py) and the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) compared with TST-individuals were as follows: TST+/QFT+, 66.2/1000 py (HR 35.59, 95%CI 14.03-90.31, P < 0.001); TST+ only, 10.1/1000 py (HR 5.16, 95%CI 2.91-9.17, P < 0.001); TST+/QFT-, 4.0/1000 py (HR 2.05, 95%CI 1.05-4.01, P = 0.035); and TST- 2.0/1000 py. The TB progression rate was significantly higher in TST+/QFT+ than in TST+/QFT-individuals (HR 16.82, 95 CI 5.84-48.46, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A confirmatory QFT for TST+contacts could reduce the number of candidates for LTBI treatment after school TB outbreaks.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 576-581 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2015 May 1 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2015 The Union.
Keywords
- Latent tuberculous infection
- Quanti-FERON test
- TB outbreaks
- Tuberculin skin test
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine