Interferon-γ Release Assay vs. Tuberculin Skin Test for Tuberculosis Screening in Exposed Healthcare Workers: A Longitudinal Multicenter Comparative Study. (16th February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lucet, Jean-Christophe; Abiteboul, Dominique; Estellat, Candice; Roy, Carine; Chollet-Martin, Sylvie; Tubach, Florence; Carcelain, Guislaine; and the QUANTIPS Study Group
• Is Part Of: Infection control and hospital epidemiology. Volume 36:Number 5(2015)
• Page Start: 569
• Page End: 574
• Publication Date: 2015-02-16
• Subjects: Nosocomial infections -- Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Health facilities -- Sanitation -- Periodicals; Hospital buildings -- Sanitation -- Periodicals; Cross Infection -- Periodicals; Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Hospitals -- Periodicals; Infection Control -- Periodicals; 614.44
• DOI: 10.1017/ice.2015.19
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0899-823X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="abs1" sec-type="general"> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> <p>Healthcare workers (HCWs), especially those caring for patients with tuberculosis (TB), are at high risk of acquiring that disease. The poor specificity of tuberculin skin testing (TST) prompted us to evaluate the effectiveness of the interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) in comparison with TST in a large prospective, multicenter, 1-year study of HCWs with occupational exposure to TB.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs2" sec-type="methods"> <title>METHODS</title> <p>HCWs from high-risk units at 14 university hospitals were invited to participate and underwent both TST and IGRA (first Quantiferon TB Gold-IT®, QFT-G, then T-SPOT.TB® if QFT-G was indeterminate) at baseline and after 1 year. We collected demographic characteristics, country of birth, history of TB, immunosuppression, past exposure to TB, history of BCG vaccination, results of most recent TST, job category, and duration of current function.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs3" sec-type="results"> <title>RESULTS</title> <p>Among 807 HCWs enrolled, current or past TST at baseline was positive (≥15 mm) in 282 (34.9%); the IGRA was positive in 113 (14.0%) and indeterminate in 3 (0.4%). After 1 year, 594 HCWs had both an IGRA and TST (or prior TST≥15 mm) at baseline and an IGRA and TST (if indicated). The conversion rate was 2.5% (9 of 367) with TST and 7.6% (45 of 594) with IGRA, with poor agreement between the 2 tests. Using only QFT-G, conversion (9.9%) and reversion (17.8%) rates were higher for baseline QFT-G positive quantitative values <1 IU/mL.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs4" sec-type="conclusion"> <title>CONCLUSION</title> <p>TST and the IGRA yielded discordant results. The value of IGRA in addition to TST remains undetermined; the two should be jointly interpreted in decision-making (clinical trial registration NCT00797836).</p> <p> <italic>Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol</italic> 2015;00(0): 1–6</p> </sec> </abstract>