QuantiFERON-TB GOLD ELISA assay for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific antigens in blood specimens of HIV-positive patients in a high-burden country

FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 2009 Dec;57(3):269-73. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.2009.00610.x. Epub 2009 Sep 11.

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a life-threatening infection worldwide. Despite improvements in therapy, it results in 2 million deaths and 9 million new cases annually. This study evaluated the use of the QuantiFERON-TB GOLD enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in a high HIV/TB burden setting in an ARV clinic at the Tshwane District Hospital, South Africa. The sensitivity and specificity of the QF assay in the clinic were 30% (9/30) and 63% (19/30), respectively, when compared with the gold standard culture results. Analysis also suggested that the sensitivity of the QuantiFERON assay is determined by a limiting patient CD4 value between 150 and 200.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antigens, Bacterial / blood*
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods*
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • South Africa
  • Tuberculosis / diagnosis*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic