The value of interferon-gamma blood tests for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in HIV patients

Results We enrolled in the study 80 HIV patients (10 children and 70 adults); M:F = 36:44. All subjects were previously BCG vaccinated, 24 (30%) had positive family contact and 16 (20%) had a history of tuberculosis. 45 (56.2%) patients were in stage C3 (CD4 400). We diagnosed 52 (65%) patients with active or latent TB, out of which 2 cases of pleural effusion, 7 miliary, 22 with pulmonary forms, 8 TB meningitis, 2 lymph nodes TB and one intestinal tuberculosis. Tuberculin skin test (TST) was performed in all patients. Sixteen patients were TST positive: only 2 patients in the group with CD4 400. The QFT test was positive in 27 (33.75%) patients, negative in 44 (55%) and indeterminate in 9 (11.25%). We obtained 14 (31.1%) QFT positive results in patients with CD4 400. In stage C3 (CD4<200) the positive TST tests was significantly lower (4.4%) compared to positive QFT (31.1%).