即便是用IGRA, 有時也要等大於三個月才能決定TB contact
接觸TB後,TST大抵上2-12週轉陽,IGRA大抵上6-10週,但IGRA可以長到3個月以上 TB Tests Can Have a Lengthy Window Period Two studies suggest that interferon- release assay conversion sometimes occurs more than 3 months after exposure to active tuberculosis. Increasingly, interferon- release assays (IGRAs) are being used for diagnosing latent tuberculosis (TB). Although the tuberculin skin test (TST) traditionally used for this purpose converts to positive within 2 to 12 weeks after an individual is exposed to someone with active TB, the interval for IGRA conversion has remained unclear. Current guidelines recommend repeating an initially negative IGRA after 6 to 10 weeks, but this recommendation is not based on controlled studies. Two recent investigations address this issue. Anibarro and colleagues conducted a longitudinal prospective analysis among contacts of TB patients in Spain. The 152 contacts received a TST and an IGRA at first visit; for individuals with negative or conflicting results, t