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Reducing the Rates of Indeterminate Results of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube Test During Routine Preemployment Screening for Latent Tuberculosis Infection Among Healthcare Personnel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Cyndee Miranda*
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Disease, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
Belinda Yen-Lieberman
Affiliation:
Departments of Clinical Pathology and Immunology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
Paul Terpeluk
Affiliation:
Departments of Human Resources and General Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
J. Walton Tomford
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Disease, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
Steven Gordon
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Disease, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
*
Department of Infectious Disease, Desk S-32, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195 (mirandc@ccf.org)

Abstract

We implemented the QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT-G) In-Tube test to identify latent tuberculosis infection among potential employees prior to employment. The rates of indeterminate QFT-G In-Tube test results were higher than expected and prompted an investigation that led to successful interventions (eg, manual vortexing before incubation and the use of a modified in-tube method). The tracking of indeterminate results is suggested as an important quality control measure.

Type
Concise Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2009

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