[Correspondence] Incidence of active tuberculosis in rural China – Authors' reply

We are pleased to read the comments by Tetsuya Tanimoto and colleagues, suggesting the use of a broader range of cutoff values for QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) with individualised assessment to test latent tuberculosis infection for preventive treatment, instead of the one-size-fit-all value of 0 ·35 IU/mL. Tanimoto and colleagues report that a range of 0·10–0·35 IU/mL is used in Japan to determine patient treatment based on individual risk. They emphasised the use of such a range in the context of our findings, therefore implying use of a more lenient cutoff to maximise sensitivity for elderly patients who might progress to active disease.
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Tags: Correspondence Source Type: research