Evaluation of the Fully Automated Chemiluminescence Analyzer Liaison XL for the Performance of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus Assay in an Area with a Low Incidence of Tuberculosis.

Diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is considered key in the control of tuberculosis. Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) release assays, such as the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test (QFT-Plus), are now widely implemented for the diagnosis of LTBI. To date, the detection and quantification of IFN-γ has been mostly performed with semiautomated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), but several limitations currently exist.

Preservation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: should swabs be refrigerated or not?: Neisseria gonorrhoeae preservation.

Although molecular diagnosis has replaced culture as the reference technique in gonococcal infection, conventional culture is still performed. The aim was to compare the survival of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) in transport swabs at room temperature (RT) and at 4°C. Fifty-four NG isolates were tested.