Tuberculosis Blood Test Recommended For Key Groups

A blood test for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) should be the primary test in certain suspect groups suggests a recent official recommendation.

The innovative blood test, called the interferon-gamma release assay (IGRAs), is now thought to be more reliable than the Mantoux Tuberculin Sensitivity technique especially where the individual has already been vaccinated or was skin test positive.

In recognition of the mounting clinical evidence in favor of IGRA technology, the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE; London, UK), recommend directly using an IGRA blood test in a number of specified instances. These include: in an outbreak situation when large numbers of individuals may need to be screened; recent arrivals from high incidence countries who are from 16 to 34 years old; the immunocompromised and some people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); new health service employees who have recently arrived from high incidence countries or who have had contact with patients in a setting where tuberculosis is highly prevalent.

These interventions are designed to identify subjects with LTBI so that they can be treated before they convert to active disease. This proactive approach will help to reduce the rates of active TB disease in the UK, which have been rising over the past decade. The IGRA blood test is produced by Oxford Immunotec (Marlborough, MA, USA) and sold under the name T-SPOT.TB test.

Peter Wrighton-Smith, PhD, CEO of Oxford Immunotec, said, "I very much welcome the new guidelines from NICE which recognize the superior accuracy and convenience of IGRA testing in many populations. I am optimistic that the adoption of these guidelines will help to reverse the steadily increasing rates of TB seen in the UK over the past decade." The T-SPOT.TB test is approved for sale in Europe, USA, Canada, and over 40 other countries worldwide and is designed to replace the 115-year-old tuberculin skin test. It offers a substantially more accurate and effective tool for controlling the spread of TB.

Related Links:
UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
Oxford Immunotec