THE ROLE OF INTERFERON-GAMMA RELEASE ASSAYS IN DIAGNOSIS OF LATENT TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION IN CHILDREN

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Mycobacterial infections
• Diagnostic immunology

Background:

• Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) affects one-third of the global population, serving as a reservoir for active tuberculosis.
• Diagnosing LTBI in children is complex, with no definitive gold standard test.
• Traditional tuberculin skin test (TST) has limitations, prompting the development of newer diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the diagnostic advancements in latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) detection in pediatric populations.
• To compare the efficacy of interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) with the tuberculin skin test (TST) for LTBI diagnosis in children.
• To highlight the role of IGRAs in guiding preventive therapy decisions for pediatric LTBI cases.

Main Methods:

• Review of published literature on LTBI diagnostic tests in children.
• Comparative analysis of tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs).
• Evaluation of test performance, including sensitivity and specificity, in pediatric populations.

Main Results:

• Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) demonstrate improved sensitivity and specificity compared to the tuberculin skin test (TST).
• While TST has some advantages, advancements in IGRA technology offer significant diagnostic benefits.
• IGRA performance is crucial in determining the need for preventive therapy in children with suspected LTBI.

Conclusions:

• IGRA represents a significant advancement for diagnosing LTBI in children, offering improved accuracy over TST.
• The choice of diagnostic test, particularly IGRA, is pivotal for effective management and preventive therapy decisions in pediatric tuberculosis.
• Further research and standardization of IGRA in pediatric settings are essential for optimal LTBI diagnosis.