TB QUANTIFERON Detail

The QuantiFERON-TB Gold test (also known as QFT or Interferon-Gamma Release Assay – IGRA) is a modern, blood-based diagnostic tool used to detect infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB).

This test measures the release of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) by the patient’s T-cells in response to specific TB antigens. Unlike the traditional Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), QuantiFERON is not affected by prior BCG vaccination and has higher specificity.

Clinical Use:

• Detection of latent TB infection (LTBI),

• Supporting diagnosis of active TB (in combination with clinical and radiological findings),

• TB screening in:

  • Healthcare workers,

  • Immunocompromised individuals,

  • Pre-employment or pre-immigration evaluations,

  • Close contacts of TB patients.