[Clinical performance of antigen-specific interferon-gamma assay for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis in risky hospital-based populations].

Background And Objective: To evaluate the performance and the usefulness of an in vitro interferon gamma release assay in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in immunocompromised hospital-based population.

Patients And Method: A cohort of 445 high-risk adults from a hospital located in an intermediate tuberculosis burden area were prospectively evaluated for latent tuberculosis by means of the whole blood in vitro QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay (QTF), measuring tuberculosis-specific interferon gamma release by memory-effector T lymphocytes.

Results: Overall the test displayed a positive result in 15.