POSSIBILITIES OF A LABORATORY TEST BASED ON THE DETERMINATION OF THE T-CELL RESPONSE TO STIMULATION WITH SPECIFIC CFP10 AND ESAT6 ANTIGENS IN THE DETECTION OF TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Objective of the study: to explore the possibilities of T-SPOT.TB testing to detect tuberculosis infection (TI) in children and adolescents. Materials and methods of research: the design – a multicenter retrospective cohort noncomparative uncontrolled study. The results of examination of children aged 1 to 17 years using the T-SPOT.TB test (n=1565): 774 boys (49,5%), 791 girls (50,5%). The median age of children is 8 [5; 13] years. Results: the rate of positive T-SPOT.TB tests was 7,2% (n=113). Further examination and in-depth examination of children with positive results (n=28), in every 4th case, a history of contact with a tuberculosis (TB) patient was established, every 4th child had previously been under treatment with phthisiatrician. The coincidence of positive results of the T-SPOT.TB test with the Mantoux test – in 87%, with the test with a recombinant tuberculosis allergen – in 100% of cases. Local TB in the phase of reverse development was detected in one child (4%), active TB – in 2 (7%). Conclusion: the T-SPOT.TB test is an alternative method for screening children for TI.