Interferon-γ Release Assays in Children <15 Years of Age

Objectives The tuberculin skin test (TST) has been preferred for screening young children for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) because of concerns that interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs) may be less sensitive in this high-risk population. In this study, we compared the predictive value of IGRAs to the TST for progression to tuberculosis disease in children, including those Methods Children TB test (T-SPOT) and followed actively for 2 years, then with registry matches, to identify incident disease. Results Of 3593 children enrolled September 2012 to April 2016, 92% were born outside the United States; 25% were Conclusions Although both types of tests poorly predict disease progression, IGRAs are no less predictive than the TST and offer high specificity and negative predictive values. Results from this study support the use of IGRAs for children, especially those who are not born in the United States.