Comparison of interferon-γ release assays, QuantiFERON TB-GIT and T-Spot.TB, in renal transplantation

Renal transplant recipients are at increased risk of reactivating latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and progressing to active tuberculosis (TB). This study was conducted in National hospital for tuberculosis and renal transplantation (RT) in Japan. The purpose is to compare two interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs), QuantiFERON®-TB Gold in Tube (QFT) and T-SPOT®.TB (TSPOT), in patients after renal transplantation for detecting latent TB infection (LTBI). Total 92 renal transplant recipients (median age 46 years, range 17–75) were prospectively enrolled, and QFT and TSPOT were concurrently examined. Total subjects were 92 patients (median age 46 years, range 17–75). The positive rate in QFT and TSPOT were 6.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.0–13.5) and 2.2% (95% CI 1.0–7.6), respectively. There was a significant difference in IGRAs positivity (P