The Role of Clinical Suspicion in Evaluating a New Diagnostic Test for Active Tuberculosis: Results of a Multicenter Prospective Trial
Article Abstract:
Nucleic acid amplification tests for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) may be more accurate than acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy and faster than culture. This is especially true if used on patients in whom the diagnosis is almost certain. This was the conclusion of a study of 338 patients with symptoms of TB whose risk of having TB was low, intermediate, or high. The accuracy of the test was greater in the patients with a high risk of TB.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 2000
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Comparison of a Whole-Blood Interferon [gamma] Assay With Tuberculin Skin Testing for Detecting Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection
Article Abstract:
The Quanti-FERON-TB tuberculosis test is more effective than the tuberculin skin test for detecting tuberculosis because it is not affected by BCG vaccination and can also discriminate between the bacterium that causes tuberculosis and other related bacteria. The test can identify people who have been exposed to the bacterium that causes tuberculosis but do not have active tuberculosis.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 2001
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Comparable Specificity of 2 Commercial Tuberculin Reagents in Persons at Low Risk for Tuberculous Infection
Article Abstract:
Most skin tests for tuberculosis appear to have a low false-positive rate. A false-positive reaction means a person tests positive for a disease even though he or she does not have the disease. Researchers analyzed the rate of false-positive reactions from four tuberculin skin tests among 1,555 people with a low risk of tuberculosis. All four tests had a very low rate of false positive reactions and accurately identified 98% of the people who did not have tuberculosis.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1999
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic: