Interferon gamma releasing assays (IGRAs) are extensively used in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infections. Comparing to tuberculin skin test (TST) they lack false positive results in the populations vaccinated with BCG, and in most non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections. Nevertheless,
Keywords
- interferon gamma release
- non-tuberculous mycobacteria
- latent tuberculosis infection
The introduction of IGRAs to clinical practice enabled to improve the diagnostic accuracy of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). The assessment of LTBI by IGRAs is based on response to specific antigens: early secreted antigenic target 6 kDa (ESAT-6) and culture filtrate protein 10 kDa (CFP-10), localized in a specific genomic area of
Subsequently, IGRAs have been extensively used to diagnose LTBI in susceptible populations, among others, persons after active tuberculosis contact, immunocompromised hosts, and the candidates to immunosuppressive therapy, especially to anti-TNF alfa treatment (Borkowska et al. 2011; Demkow 2011).
The overall prevalence of LTBI in different countries is closely related to tuberculosis (Tb) burden; thus, the countries with high Tb burden would have more LTBI cases diagnosed with IGRAs and those with low Tb burden – less such cases (Kuś et al. 2011).
The superiority of IGRAs over tuberculin skin test (TST) in LTBI diagnostic pathway, is related to its higher specificity, e.g. lack of false positive results in the populations vaccinated against
Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of NTM isolation from respiratory specimens on the results of IGRAs in patients with no medical history of tuberculosis.
Non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTMLD) was recognized in 16 patients according to American Thoracic Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America (ATS/IDSA) and recent British Thoracic Society recommendations (Griffith et al. 2007; Haworth et al. 2017). In 23 patients, respiratory isolates did not cause the disease. The characteristic of the population is summarized in Table I.
Characteristics of the population of patients, from whom NTM was isolated from respiratory specimens.
| Sex | No of pts | Age Median (range) | BMI Median (range) | Number of patients with certain coexisting disease | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COPD | ILD or GPA | CTD | CF | Npl | Others* | ||||
| Males | 16 | 58.5 (28–75) | 24.9 (19.5–38.9) | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Females | 23 | 62 (29–85) | 23.8 (16.2–37.3) | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Total | 39 | 61 (27–85) | 24.3 (15–38.9) | 10 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 9 |
COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ILD – interstitial lung disease; GPA – granulomatosis with polyangiitis; CTD – connective tissue disease; CF – cystic fibrosis; npl – neoplasm; BMI – body mass index
Diabetes (2), hypothyreosis (1), lung aspergilloma (1), renal insufficiency (1), bronchiectasis (2), actinomycosis (1), lung cirrhosis (1), lobar pulmonary artery agenesis (1), trombofilia (1)
Chest X-rays and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest were reviewed by the experienced radiologist blinded to the results of IGRAs in search of fibrotic foci localized in the upper lobes or upper parts of lower lobes, as well as parenchymal and lymph nodes’ calcifications.
Identification of culture was performed using the niacin test and a molecular method GenoType CM test (Hain Lifescience). The GenoType CM test, using the DNA-STRIP method allowed the identification of
QFT-Plus was performed in 17 patients, T-SPOT-Tb – in 23 (including one patient, in whom both IGRAs have been performed).
Positive IGRAs results were obtained in three out of 39 patients (8%): positive QFT Plus – in two cases, T-SPOT-TB – in one case. In one patient, in whom both tests were performed, T-SPOT-Tb was negative but QFT was positive.
IGRAs results according to the identified type of NTM were shown in Table II. Positive results were obtained in 2/9 (22%) of patients with
IGRAs results according to the NTM species.
| Species | IGRA (+) | IGRA (−) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 (22%) | 7 | 9 | |
| 0 | 7 | 7 | |
| 0 | 6 | 6 | |
| 0 | 5 | 5 | |
| 0 | 5 | 5 | |
| 1 (33%) | 2 | 3 | |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 3 (8%) | 36 | 39 |
Positive IGRAs were obtained in 2/23 females (9%) and 1/16 males (6%), (
IGRAs results according to the patients’ age (Table III) revealed that positive results were found only in the patients above 60 years of age; nevertheless, the age-related differences were not significant (
IGRAs result according to patients’ age.
| Age (years) | ≤ 24 | 25–44 | 45–59 | ≥ 60 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IGRAs (+) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 (14%) | 3 |
| IGRAs (−) | 0 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 36 |
| Total | 0 | 11 | 8 | 20 | 39 |
HRCT analysis revealed the presence of lesions suggesting the possibility of the previous infection with
The results of IGRAs according to the results of radiological analysis are shown in Table IV. Positive IGRAs were found in 3/17 (18%) patients with the above-mentioned radiological signs and none of the remaining patients (
The IGRAs results according to radiologic signs of past tuberculosis.
| Chest CT | IGRA (+) | IGRA (−) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Past tb signs | 3 (18%) | 14 (82%) | 17 |
| No past tb signs | 0 (0%) | 22 | 22 |
| Total | 3 | 36 | 39 |
CT – computed tomography, tb – tuberculosis
Positive IGRAs results correlated with radiological signs suggestive of possibility of infection with
Positive IGRAs have been found in three (8%) of patients with NTM cultured from respiratory specimens. Two positive IGRAs results concerned the patients with
The discrepancies concerning IGRAs positivity were found also in
Poland belongs to low Tb burden countries, with the incidence rate of tuberculosis calculated as 19.7/100 000 in 2010 and 15.1/100 000 in 2017 (Korzeniewska-Koseła 2017, 2018). The analysis of LTBI prevalence assessed with QFT, performed in 2010 on 621 healthy subjects from Mazowieckie province, revealed the positive results in 23.3% of them, more frequently in older people compared to younger ones (Kuś et al. 2011). Positive IGRAs in the present study were found exclusively in patients > 60 years of age, indicating possible influence of background non-recognized Tb infection in the past on the results obtained.
Retrospective analysis of HRCT scans by an experienced radiologist blinded to IGRAs results, revealed the lesions suggestive of possibility of infection with
These findings may suggest that positive IGRAs result, in our material, could depend mostly on asymptomatic past Tb infection. The cross-reactivity of
The same type of analysis has been performed by Sato et al. who found T-SPOT positivity in 33% of patients with
Since the group of patients was small in the current study, further studies are required to answer the question, whether the positive IGRAs in patients with
IGRAs result according to patients’ age.
| Age (years) | ≤ 24 | 25–44 | 45–59 | ≥ 60 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IGRAs (+) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 (14%) | 3 |
| IGRAs (−) | 0 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 36 |
| Total | 0 | 11 | 8 | 20 | 39 |
IGRAs results according to the NTM species.
| Species | IGRA (+) | IGRA (−) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 (22%) | 7 | 9 | |
| 0 | 7 | 7 | |
| 0 | 6 | 6 | |
| 0 | 5 | 5 | |
| 0 | 5 | 5 | |
| 1 (33%) | 2 | 3 | |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 3 (8%) | 36 | 39 |
The IGRAs results according to radiologic signs of past tuberculosis.
| Chest CT | IGRA (+) | IGRA (−) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Past tb signs | 3 (18%) | 14 (82%) | 17 |
| No past tb signs | 0 (0%) | 22 | 22 |
| Total | 3 | 36 | 39 |
Characteristics of the population of patients, from whom NTM was isolated from respiratory specimens.
| Sex | No of pts | Age Median (range) | BMI Median (range) | Number of patients with certain coexisting disease | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COPD | ILD or GPA | CTD | CF | Npl | Others | ||||
| Males | 16 | 58.5 (28–75) | 24.9 (19.5–38.9) | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Females | 23 | 62 (29–85) | 23.8 (16.2–37.3) | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Total | 39 | 61 (27–85) | 24.3 (15–38.9) | 10 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 9 |
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