Immunological tests, including the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) assay, represent an important aid for diagnosing active tuberculosis (TB) and latent TB infections in children, but concerns about their use in children <5 years of age persist. This is a multicenter retrospective study comparing a population of 226 children to 521 adults with pulmonary or extrapulmonary TB. The aim was to evaluate the QFT-IT performance, analyzing both qualitative and quantitative results, according to age, birthplace, and disease localization. Compared to culture, QFT-IT sensitivity was 93.9%, 100%, and 94.4% in children <= 2, 2 to 5, and 5 to 16 years of age, respectively, and was significantly higher than that in adults (81.0%) (P < 0.0001). The rate of indeterminate test results for children (2.2%) was significantly lower than that for adults (5.2%) (P < 0.0001). In children, QFT-IT sensitivity was not affected by disease localization or birthplace (Italy born versus foreign born). Interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) values in response to TB antigen and mitogen were significantly higher in children than in adults (TB antigen, median of 10 versus 1.66 IU IFN-gamma/ml; mitogen, median of 10 versus 6.70 IU IFN-gamma/ml; P < 0.0001). In summary, this study supports the use of QFT-IT as a complementary test for the diagnosis of pediatric TB even under 2 years of age. Our observations could be applicable to the new version of the test, QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus, which has recently been shown to have similar sensitivity in active TB, although data in children are still lacking.

QuantiFERON-TB performs better in children, including infants, than in adults with active tuberculosis: A multicenter study / Lombardi, G.; Pellegrino, M. T.; Denicolo, A.; Corsini, I.; Tadolini, M.; Bergamini, B. M.; Meacci, M.; Garazzino, S.; Peracchi, M.; Lanari, M.; Re, M. C.; Monte, P. D.. - In: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY. - ISSN 0095-1137. - 57:10(2019), pp. 1-7. [10.1128/JCM.01048-19]

QuantiFERON-TB performs better in children, including infants, than in adults with active tuberculosis: A multicenter study

Bergamini B. M.
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
2019

Abstract

Immunological tests, including the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) assay, represent an important aid for diagnosing active tuberculosis (TB) and latent TB infections in children, but concerns about their use in children <5 years of age persist. This is a multicenter retrospective study comparing a population of 226 children to 521 adults with pulmonary or extrapulmonary TB. The aim was to evaluate the QFT-IT performance, analyzing both qualitative and quantitative results, according to age, birthplace, and disease localization. Compared to culture, QFT-IT sensitivity was 93.9%, 100%, and 94.4% in children <= 2, 2 to 5, and 5 to 16 years of age, respectively, and was significantly higher than that in adults (81.0%) (P < 0.0001). The rate of indeterminate test results for children (2.2%) was significantly lower than that for adults (5.2%) (P < 0.0001). In children, QFT-IT sensitivity was not affected by disease localization or birthplace (Italy born versus foreign born). Interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) values in response to TB antigen and mitogen were significantly higher in children than in adults (TB antigen, median of 10 versus 1.66 IU IFN-gamma/ml; mitogen, median of 10 versus 6.70 IU IFN-gamma/ml; P < 0.0001). In summary, this study supports the use of QFT-IT as a complementary test for the diagnosis of pediatric TB even under 2 years of age. Our observations could be applicable to the new version of the test, QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus, which has recently been shown to have similar sensitivity in active TB, although data in children are still lacking.
2019
57
10
1
7
QuantiFERON-TB performs better in children, including infants, than in adults with active tuberculosis: A multicenter study / Lombardi, G.; Pellegrino, M. T.; Denicolo, A.; Corsini, I.; Tadolini, M.; Bergamini, B. M.; Meacci, M.; Garazzino, S.; Peracchi, M.; Lanari, M.; Re, M. C.; Monte, P. D.. - In: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY. - ISSN 0095-1137. - 57:10(2019), pp. 1-7. [10.1128/JCM.01048-19]
Lombardi, G.; Pellegrino, M. T.; Denicolo, A.; Corsini, I.; Tadolini, M.; Bergamini, B. M.; Meacci, M.; Garazzino, S.; Peracchi, M.; Lanari, M.; Re, M. C.; Monte, P. D.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/1184401
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