Evaluation of QuantiFERON-TB Gold test for the diagnosis of tubercular infection in children

ConclusionQuantiFERON-TB Gold assay is an effective tool in diagnosing tuberculosis infection in pediatric population. False positive reactions with tuberculin skin test are common as there is cross reactivity with NTM and BCG vaccination. Both the sensitivity and specificity were better than the tuberculin skin test. So it is better than tuberculin skin test and the diagnostic yield is better. However, this test shouldn’t be used as gold standard for diagnosis of tubercular disease in children.
Source: Current Medicine Research and Practice - Category: General Medicine Source Type: research