QuantiFERON-TB Gold plus testing for the detection of LTBI among health care workers in major TB hospitals of the Northern Kyrgyz Republic.

Background: Health care workers (HCW) are at increased risk of TB infection due to their close contact with infected patients with active TB. The objectives of the study were (1) to assess the prevalence of LTBI among HCW in the Northern Kyrgyz Republic, and (2) to determine the association of LTBI with job positions or departments.

Methods: HCWs from four TB hospitals in the Northern Kyrgyz Republic were tested with the interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) Quantiferon-TB Gold plus (QFT) for the detection of an immune response to TB as marker of TB infection.

Implementation of whole genome sequencing for tuberculosis diagnostics in a low-middle income, high MDR-TB burden country.

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is revolutionary for diagnostics of TB and its mutations associated with drug-resistances, but its uptake in low- and middle-income countries is hindered by concerns of implementation feasibility. Here, we provide a proof of concept for its successful implementation in such a setting. WGS was implemented in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Implementing contact tracing for tuberculosis in Kyrgyz Republic and risk factors for positivity using QuantiFERON-TB Gold plus.

Background: Effective active case finding (ACF) activities are essential for early identification of new cases of active tuberculosis (TB) and latent TB infection (LTBI). Accurate diagnostics as well as the ability to identify contacts at high risk of infection are essential for ACF, and have not been systematically reported from Central Asia. The objective was to implement a pilot ACF program to determine the prevalence and risk factors for LTBI and active TB among contacts of individuals with TB in Kyrgyz Republic using Quantiferon-TB Gold plus (QuantiFERON).