POTENTIALITIES OF IMMUNOLOGICAL TESTS IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF LATENT TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION AND TUBERCULOSIS

Abstract

The article assesses existing immunological tests aimed to detect tuberculosis infection (tuberculin skin test, IGRA, skin test with a recombinant tuberculosis allergen). The latest inventions in the development of immunological tests that can differentiate latent tuberculosis infection and active tuberculosis have been analyzed. The difficulties encountered when developing such a test and conducting clinical trials have been demonstrated. The article presents the experience of the Moscow TB service in using the skin test with recombinant tuberculosis allergen as a screening method for tuberculosis infection, its ability to detect the infection at the stage of its development when preventive therapy is most effective since anti-tuberculosis drugs kill mycobacteria that are replicating but not dormant. Such tactics contributed to the incidence rate decrease both in high-risk groups and among the general population.