Potential breakthrough blood test to diagnose Tuberculosis. The IGRA test relies on measuring specific amounts of interferon gamma which are released by sensitised T cells in response to two specific mycobacterial proteins. The advantages of QuantiFERON is that it is not affected by BCG vaccination, can be available within 24 hours, only requires a single patient visit to draw blood and is not subject to bias as in the Mantoux test. Therefore the chance of passing the infection decreases.
For more information, please go to:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15567126