Accuracy of Immunodiagnostic Tests for Active Tuberculosis Using Single and Combined Results: A Multicenter TBNET-Study

The clinical application of IFN-gamma release assays (IGRAs) has recently improved the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection. In a multicenter study of the Tuberculosis Network European Trialsgroup (TBNET) we aimed to ascertain in routine clinical practice the accuracy of a novel assay using selected peptides encoded in the mycobacterial genomic region of difference (RD) 1 for the diagnosis of active tuberculosis in comparison with tuberculin skin test (TST), QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In-Tube (Cellestis Ltd., Carnegie, Australia) and T-SPOT.TB (Oxfordimmunotec, Abingdon, UK)

Estimates of likelihood ratios for the combination of the diagnostic tests studied according to the disease status.

<p><b>Abbreviations:</b></p><p>TB: tuberculosis; RD: region of difference; RD1 test: test based on the RD1 selected peptides; TST: tuberculin skin test; CI: confidence interval; pos: positive; neg: negative; QuantiFERON: QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In-Tube.</p

Study flow diagram.

<p>Abbreviations: TB: tuberculosis; RD: Region of Difference; Indeterm: indeterminate; TST: tuberculin skin test; QF: QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In-Tube.</p

Estimates of sensitivities for the combination of the diagnostic tests studied.

<p><b>Abbreviations:</b></p><p>RD: region of difference; TST: tuberculin skin test; CI: confidence interval.</p

Demographic and clinical characteristics of the subjects enrolled in the study.

<p><b>Abbreviations:</b></p><p>TB: tuberculosis; BCG: Bacillus Calmette and Guerin; HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus.</p