Diagnostic value of an IFN-gamma ELISPOT assay to detect latent tuberculosis infection in hepatitis C patients

作者：Shen Keshu; Zhang Kaiyu; Wang Feng^*; Yu Lu; Zhang Shuqin; Zhao Wenjing; Li Yuxiang; Chen Haiying; Wang Ying; Liang Junchao

来源：African Journal of Microbiology Research, 2012, 6(8): 1736-1741.

DOI：10.5897/AJMR11.990

• Latent tuberculosis infections (LTBI)
• Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
• enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay
• CFP-10/ESAT-6

The rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) and latent tuberculosis infections (LTBI) is a significant problem in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay measuring interferon-gamma in hepatitis C patients with LTBI. A total of 160 hepatitis C patients at the Jilin University Hospital, Changchun, China, were prospectively enrolled from January 2009 to December 2010; 43 had been positively diagnosed with TB, 38 with non-TB diseases, and 79 with a history of TB. All patients were evaluated by the tuberculin skin test (TST) and ELISPOT assays. Among the 43 diagnosed TB patients, the ELISPOT assay had a sensitivity of 92.1%, compared to a sensitivity of 60.5% for the TST. Among the 79 TB exposure patients, the ELISPOT assay was more sensitive (90%) than the TST (61.5%), the specificity of the ELISPOT assay was 90%, and the specificity of the TST was 61.5% in LTBI. Among the 38 subjects with non-TB diseases, the specificity of the ELISPOT was better than the TST's. In conclusion, this ELISPOT assay could provide useful support in diagnosing LTBI in hepatitis C patients and may provide guidance regarding the treatment of LTBI and hepatitis C co-infection.

• 出版日期2012-2-29
• 单位吉林大学; 中国疾病预防控制中心