The use of QFT-GIT test as a second step in TST-positive cases offers an appropriate tool for LTBI detection in our country where all HCWs are BCG-vaccinated.
QFT-Plus performs equivalently to the QFT-GIT for detection of patients at risk for LTBI; however, QFT-Plus test had higher sensitivity than the QFT-GIT test, with similar specificity among the older participants.
Conclusively, there was a high degree of agreement between the results of QFT-GIT and QFT-Plus for the screening of immunocompromised patients for LTBI.
In children, while in two studies, there was no significant difference between QFT-GIT and TST (≥5 mm) (pooled R-CIR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.71, 1.74), two other studies showed QFT-GIT to outperform TST (≥10 mm) in identifying LTBI.
Many studies have compared QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) and tuberculin skin test (TST) for detecting LTBI and reported the κ statistic of agreement between QFT-GIT and TST in HD patients.