European Journal of Internal Medicine
Volume 19, Issue 2 , Pages 137-139, March 2008

Limitations of the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test in detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in immunocompromised patients

  • Mads Hornum

      Affiliations

    • Department of Nephrology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Nephrology 2131 Rigshospitalet Blegdamsvej 9 DK-2100 Copenhagen Denmark. Tel.: +45 3545 1762; fax: +45 3545 2607.
    • ,
  • Klaus Leth Mortensen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
    • ,
  • Anne-Lise Kamper

      Affiliations

    • Department of Nephrology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
    • ,
  • Åse Bengård Andersen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Received 14 December 2006; accepted 9 March 2007. published online 17 September 2007.

Abstract 

Four cases are presented, immunosuppressed by at least three different mechanisms: one HIV-positive patient with a CD4 count of 0.29×106/ml, one malnourished patient, and two kidney-transplanted patients. All patients had a negative interferon (IFN)-γ test for suspected tuberculosis (TB), but a positive culture. We conclude that a negative IFN-γ test does not exclude TB disease in immunosuppressed patients.

Keywords: Tuberculosis antigen test, Immunodeficiency, Diagnostic, Specificity, Sensitivity

 

PII: S0953-6205(07)00237-3

doi:10.1016/j.ejim.2007.03.020

European Journal of Internal Medicine
Volume 19, Issue 2 , Pages 137-139, March 2008

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