• Title/Summary/Keyword: Latent tuberculosis infection

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Tuberculin Skin Test and QuantiFERON-TB Gold Assay before and after Treatment for Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Health Care Workers in Local Tertiary Hospital (일개 병원의 의료인에서 투베르쿨린 검사와 QuantiFERON-TB Gold 검사를 이용한 잠복결핵의 진단과 치료 전후의 변화)

  • Lee, Seung Jun;Kim, Hyeon Sik;Ma, Jung Eun;Lee, Sang Min;Ham, HyunSeok;Cho, Yu Ji;Jeong, Yi Yeong;Kim, Ho Cheol;Lee, Jong Deok;Kim, Sun-Joo;Hwang, Young Sil
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.62 no.4
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    • pp.270-275
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    • 2007
  • The QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay and tuberculin skin test (TST) have been useful test for diagnosing latent tuberculosis infections (LTBI). However, there are few reports on the efficacy of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay and TST in evaluating the response after the treatment of LTBI. This study examined the changes in the TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay before and after a treatment for latent tuberculosis in health care workers (HCWs) at a local tertiary hospital. Methods: A cohort of volunteers working as nurses and doctors who underwent a TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay was established. The volunteers positive for the QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay had been treated with 3 months of isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RFP). After completing treatment, the TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay were repeated. Results: Of the 48 participants (14 doctors, 34 nurses, M: F=11:37, mean $age=29.9{\pm}5.5$ years, mean employment $period=74.9{\pm}64.3$ months), 19 (39.6%) tested positive to the TST (mean induration=$19.1{\pm}9.7mm$) and 8 (16.7%) were QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay. Among them, one had active pulmonary tuberculosis. Seven volunteers were consistently positive to both the TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay after being medicated with INH and RFP for 3 months. Conclusion: TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay are unsuitable for evaluating the treatment response of LTBI because they were consistently positive both before and after the anti-tuberculosis medication.

Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Korea (국내에서 잠복결핵의 치료)

  • Shim, Tae Sun;Koh, Won Jung;Yim, Jae Joon;Lew, Woo Jin
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.65 no.2
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    • pp.79-90
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    • 2008
  • 국내에서 아직 잠복결핵 치료 대상 및 치료 방법에 대한 명확한 지침이 부족한 실정이며 이를 위해서는 잠복감염의 재활성화 혹은 새로운 감염이 어느 정도 결핵 발병의 원인이 되는지에 대한 연구가 선행되어야 한다. 그렇지만 발병의 위험이 높은 군을 선정하여 잠복결핵의 치료 대상으로 정하는 것이 타당할 것이며, 현재는 HIV 감염자, 전염성 결핵환자 가족 중 6세 미만의 아동, 중학생 및 고등학생에서의 집단 발병시 감염된 것으로 판정된 학생 및 종양괴사인자(tumor necrosis factor, TNF) 길항제 사용 예정인 잠복결핵 환자가 잠복결핵의 치료 대상으로 제한되어 있다. 향후에는 잠복결핵 치료 대상자의 확대가 필요할 것으로 생각되며, 치료방법 또한 isoniazid (INH) 단독 요법 이외에 rifampicin (RMP)을 포함하는 단기 요법의 사용도 고려하여야 하겠다. 현재 외국에서 잠복결핵의 치료법으로 권고되고 있는 것은 INH 6~9개월, RMP 4~6개월, INH/RMP 3개월 등이다. 과거부터 잠복결핵의 진단에 사용되어 온투베르쿨린 검사 외에 체외 인터페론감마 검사가 새로이 개발되면서 잠복결핵의 진단이 더 정확해진다면 이에 따라 잠복결핵 치료 방침도 수정될 가능성이 있으므로 새로운 검사법을 이용한 꾸준한 연구가 필요할 것이다.

The Infectivity of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Korean Army Units: Evidence from Outbreak Investigations

  • Yoon, Chang-gyo;Kang, Dong Yoon;Jung, Jaehun;Oh, Soo Yon;Lee, Jin Beom;Kim, Mi-Hyun;Seo, Younsuk;Kim, Hee-Jin
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.82 no.4
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    • pp.298-305
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    • 2019
  • Background: Tuberculosis (TB) causes substantial health burden to the Korean military. This study aims to assess the impact of infectious TB cases on close and casual contacts in the Korean Army settings based on contact investigation data. Methods: Six Army units with infectious TB cases from September 2012 to May 2013 were enrolled in the study. We analyzed the clinical data from close and casual contacts screened using the tuberculin skin test (TST) and QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube to identify latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) cases. For the control group, 286 military conscripts with no reported TB exposure were tested by TST only. Results: Of the 667 contacts of index cases, LTBI cases identified were as follows: 21.8% of close contacts of smearpositive cases (71/326), 8.5% of casual contacts of smear-positive cases (26/305), and 2.8% of close contacts of smearnegative cases (1/36). In the control group, 16.8% showed positivity in TST. In a multivariate analysis, having stayed in the same room or next room with TB patients was identified as a risk factor of LTBI. Conclusion: Using the data from TB contact investigations in the Korean Army units, we found an overall LTBI rate of 14.7% among the contacts screened. This study demonstrates that contacts living in the same building, especially the same room or next room, with TB patients are at a high risk of acquiring LTBI, serving as additional evidence for defining close and casual contacts of a TB patient with regard to Army barrack settings.

Clinical Significance of Interferon $\gamma$ Release Assay for Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Children (소아 결핵 진단에 있어서 결핵 특이항원자극 인터페론 감마 측정검사의 임상적 의의)

  • Lee, Hee Woo;Park, Hwa Young;Ahn, Young Min;Sohn, Keun Chan
    • Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.137-147
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    • 2010
  • Purpose : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness and limitation of QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QTB) for diagnosis of latent tuberculosis in children. Methods : The medical records of 112 children who were tested by tuberculin skin test (TST) and QTB for detection of latent tuberculosis (TB) in Eulji General Hospital during the period from January 2007 to June 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Results : Of the 112 participants, the clinical TB group included 15 (13.4%), the contact group included 43 (38.4%), and the non-contact group included 54 (48.2%). Positive rates of TST and QTB were 100% and 80% in the clinical TB group, 64% and 14% in the close contact group, 27% and 0% in the casual contact group, and 52% and 2% in the non-contact group, respectively. Sensitivity of QTB was 80.0% and specificity was 92.6%. Agreement between QTB and TST was poor ($\kappa$=0.209). We also confirmed that the positive rate of QTB increased as the age of the patient increased (P=0.011). A QTB indeterminate result was observed in 11 (9.8%) subjects. QTB was retested in 15 subjects. In 5 of the 6 subjects who had positive results initially, positive results persisted for a median 2.2 months after termination of treatment. Conclusion : Although QTB was associated with several problems, including low sensitivity and a high rate of indeterminate results, it had clinical importance due to its high specificity. We found good correlation with regard to exposure and QTB positivity, including that of young children under 5 years of age. However, clinical application of interferon-$\gamma$ releasing assay for young children for diagnosis of active and latent tuberculosis will require additional prospective studies.

Effect of Tuberculin Skin Test on Ex-vivo Interferon-gamma Assay for Latent Tuberculosis Infection (투베르쿨린 검사가 결핵에 대한 체외 IFN-γ 검사 결과에 미치는 영향)

  • Lee, Jung Yeon;Choi, Hee Jin;Cho, Sang-Nae;Park, I-Nae;Oh, Yeon-Mok;Lee, Sang Do;Kim, Woo Sung;Kim, Dong Soon;Kim, Won Dong;Shim, Tae Sun
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.59 no.4
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    • pp.406-412
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    • 2005
  • Background : Recently, two commercialized whole-blood assays, $QuantiFERON^{(R)}-TB$ Gold (QFT) and T $SPOT-TB^{(R)}$ (SPOT), which measure the $IFN-{\gamma}$ released in the whole blood after being incubation with mycobacterial antigens, were approved for the diagnosis of a latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). However, there is data on whether or not the previously used PPD skin tests (TST) have any influence on the diagnostic ability of these ex-vivo $IFN-{\gamma}$ assays. Methods : Forty-six 15 year-old students who did not appear to be infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis were enrolled in this study. The peripheral blood was collected and used for two $IFN-{\gamma}$ assays. The $IFN-{\gamma}$ assays and TST were performed at the baseline ($1^{st}$). The TST was repeated two months later ($2^{nd}$), and the $IFN-{\gamma}$ assays were repeated two ($2^{nd}$) and four months ($3^{rd}$) later only in those subjects who had negative results at the baseline in both the $IFN-{\gamma}$ assays and TST. An induration size > 10 mm was considered to be positive in the TST. Results : The mean TST value was $3.1{\pm}5.4mm$ (range: 0-20). Of the 46 subjects examined, 13 subjects (28.3%) showed positive results in the two-step TST. Nine (19.6%) were SPOT-positive and only one (2.2%) was QFT-positive. The $2^{nd}$ and $3^{rd}$ QFT were carried out in 23 and 25 all-negative subjects, respectively, and all showed negative results. The $2^{nd}$ SPOT was performed in 23 subjects and only one (4.3%) showed a weak-positive result. Conclusion : Even though there were some discrepancies in the results of the two ex-vivo $IFN-{\gamma}$ assays, it appears that their results were not influenced by a previous TST carried out in two or four months earlier.

Towards Understanding Tuberculosis-Related Issues in North Korea: A Narrative Review of North Korean Literature

  • Lee, Chang-Jun;Lee, Sungwhan;Kim, Hee-Jin;Kang, Young Ae
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.83 no.3
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    • pp.201-210
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    • 2020
  • Background: North Korea is one of the 30 countries with the highest tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant TB burdened. To understand the medical issues and research trends associated with TB in North Korea, we performed a comprehensive review of articles related to clinical and laboratory research on TB published in North Korean medical journals. Methods: We reviewed all types of TB-related articles published in nine North Korean medical journals (Yebang ŭihak: Preventive medicine; Koryo ŭihak: Korea Medicine; Chosŏn ŭihak: Chosun Medicine; Naekwa: Internal Medicine; Soa, sanbuinkwa: Pediatrics, Obstetrics, and Gynecology, Surgery; Ŭihak: Medicine; Kich'o ŭihak: Basic Medicine; and Chosŏn yakhak: Chosun Pharmacy). We classified the articles according to the type and field of study and analyzed the data qualitatively to gain insights. Results: We reviewed 106 articles (one- or two-page length) written in Korean, including reviews (n=43), original articles (n=52), and case reports (n=8). They were classified as follows: articles on diagnosis (n=52, 49%) and treatment (n=39, 37%). None of the studies investigated the commercialized molecular diagnosis systems such as Xpert MTB/RIF. Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course was reported as the basic treatment approach. Furthermore, six studies used Korean traditional medicines for treating TB, with one of them containing snake venom. Conclusion: The articles were not sufficiently detailed. Original articles on the treatment of multi-drug resistant TB were not found, and those on latent tuberculosis infection and nontuberculous mycobacteria were limited. To understand the current medical issues associated with TB in North Korea, articles from these nine journals were not sufficient.

Comparison of Results between Tuberculin Skin Test and QuantiFERON®-TB In-Tube Assay for Diagnosis of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Children and Adolescents (소아청소년에서의 잠복결핵감염 진단을 위한 결핵 피부반응검사와 QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube 검사와의 결과 비교)

  • Choi, Jong-Won;Kim, Min-Sung;Kim, Jong-Hyun
    • Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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    • v.20 no.1
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    • pp.17-27
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    • 2013
  • Purpose: Recently, two tests are commercially available for the identification of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI): tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-${\gamma}$ release assay (IGRA). Due to its false positiveness, TST tends to be preferred by IGRA until now. In our study, we simultaneously performed both TST and QuantiFERON$^{(R)}$-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) and compared their results. Methods: TST and QFT-GIT were done for the diagnosis of LTBI among children who visited pediatric out-patient clinic at St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea from February of 2007 to May of 2008. The study group was stratified into two groups in terms of whether there was intrafamilial contact or not. Results: Out of total 35 children, 29 were tuberculosis (TB)-exposed cases and the remainders were diagnosed as clinical pulmonary TB. Among these 29 children, TST was positive 38.9% (7/18) for the intrafamilial and 45.5% (5/11) for the nonintrafamilial, and at the same time, the result for QFT-GIT was positive 5.6% (1/18) and 9.1% (1/11), respectively which implies that TST was more sensitive than QFT-GIT. Among 29 TB-exposed cases, 26 initially went through TST and QFTGIT together on their first visit to out-patient clinic, and 15 continued the follow-up tests. Out of total 41 cases collected, the agreement (known as kappa value) was 0.063 which was relatively low. Including 6 cases with pulmonary TB who were all positive for TST and only 5 being positive for QFT-GIT, the final kappa value was 0.334. Conclusion: In our study, the agreement for TST and QFT-GIT was low, and the majorities were almost the cases of positive TST. In current situation with lacking a gold standard test and limited data on children to adolescents, this result is quite alarming that the recent trend tends to replace TST by QFT-GIT when diagnosing LTBI.

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A contact investigation after exposure to a child with disseminated tuberculosis mimicking inflammatory bowel disease

  • Kim, Dongsub;Lee, Sodam;Kang, Sang-Hee;Park, Mi-Sun;Yoo, So-Young;Jeon, Tae Yeon;Choi, JoonSik;Kim, Bora;Choi, Jong Rim;Cho, Sun Young;Chung, Doo Ryeon;Choe, Yon Ho;Kim, Yae-Jean
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.61 no.11
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    • pp.366-370
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    • 2018
  • Purpose: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most important diseases that cause significant mortality and morbidity in young children. Data on TB transmission from an infected child are limited. Herein, we report a case of disseminated TB in a child and conducted a contact investigation among exposed individuals. Methods: A 4-year-old child without Bacille Calmette-$Gu{\acute{e}}rin$ vaccination was diagnosed as having culture-proven disseminated TB. The child initially presented with symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, and nosocomial and kindergarten exposures were reported. The exposed individuals to the index case were divided into 3 groups, namely household, nosocomial, or kindergarten contacts. Evaluation was performed following the Korean guidelines for TB. Kindergarten contacts were further divided into close or casual contacts. Chest radiography and tuberculin skin test or interferon-gamma-releasing assay were performed for the contacts. Results: We examined 327 individuals (3 household, 10 nosocomial, and 314 kindergarten contacts), of whom 18 (5.5%), the brother of the index patient, and 17 kindergarten children were diagnosed as having latent TB infection (LTBI). LTBI diagnosis was more frequent in the children who had close kindergarten contact with the index case (17.1% vs. 4.4%, P=0.007). None of the cases had active TB. Conclusion: This is the first reported case of TB transmission among young children from a pediatric patient with disseminated TB in Korea. TB should be emphasized as a possible cause of chronic diarrhea and failure to thrive in children. A national TB control policy has been actively applied to identify Korean children with LTBI.

Sensitivity of Whole-Blood Interferon-Gamma Release Assay According to the Severity and the Location of Disease in Patients with Active Tuberculosis (활동성 결핵의 중증도 및 병변 부위에 따른 전혈 인터페론 감마 분비능 측정의 민감도)

  • Kim, Yi-Young;Lee, Jae-Hee;Lee, Yoon-Jee;Lee, So-Yeon;Lee, Yong-Hun;Choi, Keum-Ju;HwangBo, Yup;Cha, Seung-Ick;Park, Jae-Yong;Jung, Tae-Hoon;Park, Jun-Sik;Kim, Chang-Ho
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.70 no.2
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    • pp.125-131
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    • 2011
  • Background: The clinical manifestation of $M.$ $tuberculosis$ infection ranges from asymptomatic latent infection, to focal forms with minimal symptoms and low bacterial burdens, and finally to advanced tuberculosis (TB) with severe symptoms and high bacillary loads. We investigated the diagnostic sensitivity of the whole-blood interferon-${\gamma}$ release assay according to the wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes. Methods: In patients diagnosed with active TB that underwent $QuantiFERON^{(R)}$ (QFT) testing, the QFT results were compared with patients known to be infected with pulmonary tuberculosis (P-TB) and extra-pulmonary TB (EP-TB). In addition, the results of the QFT test were further analyzed according to the radiographic extent of disease in patients with P-TB and the location of disease in patients with EP-TB. Results: There were no statistical differences in the overall distribution of QFT results between 177 patients with P-TB and 84 patients with EP-TB; the positive results of QFT test in patients with P-TB and EP-TB were 70.1% and 64.3%, respectively. Among patients with P-TB, patients with mild extents of disease showed higher frequency of positive results of QFT test than that of patients with severe form (75.2% vs. 57.1%, respectively; p=0.043) mainly due to an increase of indeterminate results in severe P-TB. Patients with TB pleurisy showed lower sensitivity by the QFT test than those with tuberculous lymphadenitis (48.8% vs. 78.8%, respectively; p=0.019). Conclusion: Although QFT test showed similar results between overall patients with P-TB and EP-TB, individual sensitivity was different according to the radiographic extent of disease in P-TB and the location of disease in EP-TB.

A Case of Peritoneal Tuberculosis Developed after Infliximab Therapy for Refractory RA

  • Min, Ji-Yeon;Bang, So-Young;Min, Seung-Yeon;Lee, Dae-Sung;Kim, Bo-Sang;Kim, Jeong-Eun;Lee, Eun-Sung;Pyo, Ju-Yeon;Sohn, Jang-Won;Kim, Tae-Hyung;Lee, Hye-Soon
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.73 no.4
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    • pp.234-238
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    • 2012
  • Recently, interferon gamma releasing assay has been recommended to compensate the tuberculin skin test (TST) for screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Although it improved the detection of LTBI before treatment with tumor necrosis factor blocker, its application to immune suppressed patients is limited. We report a case of peritoneal tuberculosis (TB) developed in a patient who tested positive for TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT-G) before infliximab therapy, to emphasize the importance of monitoring during treatment. A 52-year-old woman presented with abdominal distension. She had been diagnosed with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis six years ago. She had started taking infliximab six months ago. All screening tests for TB were performed and the results of all were negative. At admission, the results of repeated TST and QFT-G tests were positive. Histopathological examination confirmed peritoneal TB. The patient started anti-TB therapy and the symptoms were relieved.