OBJECTIVE:
to compare the ability to detect latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection among community health workers using the tuberculin skin test (TST) and Interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA).
METHODS:
this was a cross-sectional study conducted in Santa Cruz do Sul-RS, Brazil, applying TST and IGRA to 47 community health workers between March and June 2012. TST was considered positive when induration was ≥10mm. IGRA was considered positive when interferon-gama concentration was at least 0.35 IU/mL.
RESULTS:
12 community health workers presented positive TST and 6 had positive IGRA, the agreement between the tets was considered poor (κ=0.063).
CONCLUSION:
despite the limited number of samples there is a high discrepancy between the tests, what emphasize the need for more studies to find a biological explanation for these differences and to examine the cost-benefit of using IGRA.
Latent Tuberculosis; Health Personnel; Cross-sectional Studies, Tuberculin Test
