Gamma interferon (IFN-␥) release assays have been proven to be useful in the diagnosis of
5%). In conclusion, the IFN-␥ ELISPOT assay is a useful adjunct to current tests for diagnosis of active TB in China. The ELISPOT assay is more accurate than TST in identifying TB infections.Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world, with 95% of cases and 97% of all deaths occurring in high-prevalence countries, such as China, where the prevalence of active TB is as high as 367/100,000 population (10). For the effective and efficient control of TB in these countries, rapid diagnosis and treatment for active-TB patients are the mainstays of the TB control program. However, the current widely used tests, including acid-fast staining of sputum, mycobacterial culture, and antibody test, are not satisfactory for this purpose (4).Recently, commercial immunodiagnostic tests for TB infection have been introduced. These tests are based on the Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific antigens early secretory antigenic target 6 (ESAT-6) and culture filtrate protein 10
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