Comparative sensitivity of immunodiagnostic tests in vivo (Mantoux and RTA) and in vitro (QuantiFERON – GIT) in children with chronic nonspecific bronchopulmonary pathology associated with various tuberculosis

Aim. Selection and combination of immunodiagnostic tests to detect active tuberculosis (TB) in children with concomitant bronchopulmonary pathologies.

Materials and methods. A prospective study of children and adolescents (n = 236) was conducted, which included cases with localized pulmonary tuberculosis; pulmonary tuberculosis associated with allergic or infectious and inflammatory forms of chronic nonspecific lung diseases (CNSLD); chronic nonspecific lung diseases under a significant absence of active TB but the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. All patients underwent immunodiagnostic tests by Mantoux test, recombinant tuberculosis allergen (RTA) test, and QuantiFERON – GIT.

Results. Mantoux and RTA tests were found to exhibit high sensitivity in children both with tuberculosis associated with concomitant pathologies and without such pathologies. Differences were observed in the results obtained by the Mantoux test in children with tuberculosis-associated bronchopulmonary pathology and those with localized tuberculosis. The Mantoux test may be positive as a result of many factors, other than active TB infection. Thus, children with allergic and infectious-inflammatory pathologies of the lungs exhibit an altered sensitivity to the Mantoux test. Such cases require in vitro diagnostics with the Quanti- FERON test, whose sensitivity is high despite the presence of CNSLD.

Conclusions. Children with infectious-inflammatory CNSLD should undergo TB examination in stages based on in vivo and in vitro tests, when necessary. Children with allergic CNSLD should undergo in vitro tests at the first stage.

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