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Lee, Kim, Ma, Lee, Ham, Cho, Jeong, Kim, Lee, Kim, and Hwang: Tuberculin Skin Test and QuantiFERON-TB Gold Assay before and after Treatment for Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Health Care Workers in Local Tertiary Hospital
Original Article
Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2007; 62(4): 270-275.

Published online: 30 April 2007

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2007.62.4.270

Tuberculin Skin Test and QuantiFERON-TB Gold Assay before and after Treatment for Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Health Care Workers in Local Tertiary Hospital

Seung Jun Lee, M.D.1, Hyeon Sik Kim, M.D.1, Jung Eun Ma, M.D.1, Sang Min Lee, M.D.1, HyunSeok Ham, M.D.1, Yu Ji Cho, M.D.1, Yi Yeong Jeong, M.D.1, Ho Cheol Kim, M.D.1, Jong Deok Lee, M.D.1, Sun-Joo Kim, M.D.2, Young Sil Hwang, M.D.1

1Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.

2Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Ho Cheol Kim, M.D. Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, 92 Chilam-dong, Jinju, 660-751, Korea. Phone: 82-55-750-8684, Fax: 82-55-758-9122, hochkim@gsnu.gshp.co.kr

Received 23 January 2007       Accepted 29 March 2007

Copyright © 2007 The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

Abstract

Background

The QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay and tuberculin skin test (TST) have been useful test for diagnosing latent tuberculosis infections (LTBI). However, there are few reports on the efficacy of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay and TST in evaluating the response after the treatment of LTBI. This study examined the changes in the TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay before and after a treatment for latent tuberculosis in health care workers (HCWs) at a local tertiary hospital.

Methods

A cohort of volunteers working as nurses and doctors who underwent a TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay was established. The volunteers positive for the QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay had been treated with 3 months of isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RFP). After completing treatment, the TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay were repeated.

Results

Of the 48 participants (14 doctors, 34 nurses, M: F=11:37, mean age=29.9±5.5 years, mean employment period=74.9±64.3 months), 19 (39.6%) tested positive to the TST (mean induration=19.1±9.7 mm) and 8 (16.7%) were QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay. Among them, one had active pulmonary tuberculosis. Seven volunteers were consistently positive to both the TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay after being medicated with INH and RFP for 3 months.

Conclusion

TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay are unsuitable for evaluating the treatment response of LTBI because they were consistently positive both before and after the anti-tuberculosis medication.

Keywords: Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), Treatment, Tuberculin skin test (TST), QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay, Health care workers

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Tuberculin skin test (TST) and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay results in health care workers when induration cutoff is 10 mm
trd-62-270-i001

*mean induration size=19.1±9.7 mm.

†one volunteer had active pulmonary tuberculosis.

Table 2
Tuberculin skin test (TST) and Quanti FERON-TB Gold assay results in health care workers when induration cutoff is 15 mm
trd-62-270-i002

*mean induration size=23.4±2.8 mm.

†one volunteer had active pulmonary tuberculosis.

Table 3
Characteristics of QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay positive volunteers
trd-62-270-i003

*one volunteer had active pulmonary tuberculosis.

Table 4
Change of tuberculin skin test (TST) induration size before and after treatment for latent tuberculosis infection with isoniazid and rifampin for 3 months
trd-62-270-i004

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