Diagnosing Latent Tuberculosis Infection in the HIV Era
2008

Diagnosing Latent Tuberculosis Infection in the HIV Era

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Lagrange Philippe H, Herrmann Jean Louis

Primary Institution: Service de Microbiologie, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France

Hypothesis

How do Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) compare to Tuberculin skin testing (TST) in diagnosing latent tuberculosis infection in HIV-infected individuals?

Conclusion

Longitudinal studies are needed to validate IGRAs and other assays for diagnosing latent tuberculosis infection in HIV-infected individuals.

Supporting Evidence

  • IGRAs have shown higher sensitivity than TST in low endemic TB countries.
  • Indeterminate results are more frequent with QF-TB than T-SPOT-TB in HIV populations.
  • Longitudinal studies are required to confirm the predictive values of IGRAs.

Takeaway

This study looks at how well new blood tests work for finding tuberculosis in people with HIV, compared to the old skin test.

Methodology

The study reviews published data on the performance of IGRAs in HIV-infected individuals compared to TST.

Limitations

The inability of IGRAs to differentiate between latent TB infection and active TB disease.

Participant Demographics

HIV-infected individuals, including those with advanced immunosuppression.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.01

Statistical Significance

p<0.01

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.2174/1874306400802010052

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