Recent status and data analysis of examination for <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>-specific interferon-γ release assay, QuantiFERON (QFT) test

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  • 結核菌特異的インターフェロン-γ遊離試験クォンティフェロン（QFT）検査の実施状況と結果解析

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The QuantiFERON (QFT) test is one of the interferon-γ release assays (IGRA) used as a specific diagnostic method for tuberculosis (Tb) infection. We investigated the status of QFT for the past 5 years and analyzed the data in our hospital. The QFT-positive rate was high in elderly patients. Undeterminable results were often obtained in immunosuppressed patients or those undergoing hemodialysis. We compared the data of QFT with those of acid-fast bacillus (AFB) tests (smear, culture and PCR examinations) and found that none of the QFT-negative cases revealed the detection of Tb. On the other hand, of the 157 QFT-positive cases, 18 cases showed Tb infection and 125 cases showed negativity in AFB tests. Next, we compared each QFT value with the results of AFB tests and found that the mean values of QFT seemed to increase in the order of AFB tests, namely, negative group, non-Tb AFB-positive group, and Tb-positive group, while there was no statistical difference between the groups. Considering that Tb was not detected in any of the QFT-negative cases in the following AFB tests, we found that QFT is worth conducting as the first screening test for the diagnosis of Tb. However, in QFT-positive cases, the patients require comprehensive medical examinations to determine the presence of Tb infection.

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