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

Mads Hornum; Klaus Leth Mortensen; Anne-Lise Kamper; Ase Bengård Andersen

doi:10.1016/j.ejim.2007.03.020

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

Eur J Intern Med. 2008 Mar;19(2):137-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2007.03.020. Epub 2007 Sep 14.

Authors

Mads Hornum¹, Klaus Leth Mortensen, Anne-Lise Kamper, Ase Bengård Andersen

Affiliation

¹ Department of Nephrology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. mads.hornum@rh.dk

PMID: 18249311
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2007.03.020

Abstract

Four cases are presented, immunosuppressed by at least three different mechanisms: one HIV-positive patient with a CD4 count of 0.29 x 10(6)/ml, one malnourished patient, and two kidney-transplanted patients. All patients had a negative interferon (IFN)-gamma test for suspected tuberculosis (TB), but a positive culture. We conclude that a negative IFN-gamma test does not exclude TB disease in immunosuppressed patients.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

False Negative Reactions
Female
Humans
Immunocompromised Host*
Male
Middle Aged
Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification*
Sensitivity and Specificity
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / diagnosis*
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / immunology*
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / microbiology