A Multicentre Verification Study of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus Assay

Overview

Journal Tuberculosis (Edinb)

Specialties Infectious Diseases
Pulmonary Medicine

Date 2018 Mar 11

PMID 29523314

Citations 24

Authors

E D Pieterman

F G Liqui Lung

A Verbon

H I Bax

C W Ang

J Berkhout

G Blaauw

A Brandenburg

N D van Burgel

A Claessen

K van Dijk

M Heron

M Hooghiemstra

R Leussenkamp-Hummelink

E Van Lochem

I H M van Loo

B Mulder

A Ott

O Pontesilli

A Reuwer

P Rombouts

V Saegeman

M Scholing

S Vainio

J E M de Steenwinkel

Affiliations

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Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this verification study was to compare the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) to the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In Tube (QFT-GIT). The new QFT-Plus test contains an extra antigen tube which, according to the manufacturer additionally elicits a CD8 T-cell response above the CD4 T-cell response. We assessed the value of this tube in detecting recent latent tuberculosis infections.

Methods: Between May 2015 and December 2016, 1031 subjects underwent QFT-Plus and QFT-GIT test. Overall agreement between both tests and performance for different test indications and/or immune states was assessed. A difference of >0.6 IU/mL interferon-γ release between the two antigen tubes of the QFT-Plus assay was considered a true difference and used as estimation for CD8 T-cell response.

Results: Analysis of the QuantiFERON tests resulted in an overall agreement between assays of 95%. Subjects considered to be recently exposed to tuberculosis had significantly more often a true difference in interferon-γ release compared to all other subjects (p = 0.029).

Conclusion: Results of QFT-Plus are highly comparable to QFT-GIT. Although there is an indication that a true difference in interferon-γ release between the antigen tubes is associated with recent latent tuberculosis infection, the QFT-Plus could not be used to exclude recent exposure.

Citing Articles

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Comparing patterns of recent and remote Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection determined using the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus assay in a high TB burden setting.

Amofa-Sekyi M, Schaap A, Mureithi L, Kosloff B, Cheeba M, Kangololo B PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024; 4(5):e0003182.

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Prevalence and risk factors of M tuberculosis infection in young people across 14 communities in Zambia and South Africa.

Amofa-Sekyi M, Schaap A, Mureithi L, Kosloff B, Cheeba M, Kangololo B PLOS Glob Public Health. 2023; 3(9):e0002077.

PMID: 37773934 PMC: 10540968. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002077.

Do the drug doses of conventional synthetic DMARDs used for the treatment of biologic/targeted-synthetic DMARDs naive rheumatoid arthritis patients affect QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test results?.

Ozsoy Z, Ozdemir A, Ekici M, Bilgin E, Kilic L, Kiraz S Rheumatol Int. 2023; 43(8):1445-1451.

PMID: 37005937 DOI: 10.1007/s00296-023-05320-7.

QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus and QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-tube assays for detecting latent tuberculosis infection in Thai healthcare workers.

Rudeeaneksin J, Srisungngam S, Klayut W, Bunchoo S, Bhakdeenuan P, Phetsuksiri B Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 2023; 65:e13.

PMID: 36753066 PMC: 9901577. DOI: 10.1590/S1678-9946202365013.