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Will Interferon Gold Test Help Detecting Tuberculosis?
Hi, my husband (45) had a positive PPD skin test, so had the interferon gold test to confirm, it came back negative. he has no symptoms and a clear chest x-ray can he consider himself in the clear? he did have bacill clmette-guerin vaccination as a child.
Tue, 16 Sep 2014
Hi,
Thanks for writing in.
Interferon gold tests are markers of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and indicate a cellular immune response to M. tuberculosis. A negative result rules out any TB infection in the past. As X ray chest is also normal and he has taken BCG vaccine as a child, it is unlikely he has nay form of tuberculosis.
The interferon test is done on patients to know any infection active or healed. If it is negative, this means that the person’s blood did not react to the test and that latent TB infection or TB disease is not likely.
Thanks for writing in.
Interferon gold tests are markers of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and indicate a cellular immune response to M. tuberculosis. A negative result rules out any TB infection in the past. As X ray chest is also normal and he has taken BCG vaccine as a child, it is unlikely he has nay form of tuberculosis.
The interferon test is done on patients to know any infection active or healed. If it is negative, this means that the person’s blood did not react to the test and that latent TB infection or TB disease is not likely.
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