{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,21]],"date-time":"2026-03-21T19:32:32Z","timestamp":1774121552560,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"Cambridge University Press (CUP)","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2015,1,2]],"date-time":"2015-01-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1420156800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":1949,"URL":"https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/terms"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2009,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"S0195941700037528_abs1\"><jats:title>Background.<\/jats:title><jats:p>Surveillance for latent tuberculosis in high-risk groups such as healthcare workers is limited by the nonspecificity of the tuberculin skin test (TST) in BCG-vaccinated individuals. The <jats:italic>Mycobacterium tuberculosis<\/jats:italic> antigen-specific interferon-\u03b3 release assays (IGRAs) show promise for more accurate latent tuberculosis detection in such groups.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec id=\"S0195941700037528_abs2\"><jats:title>Objective.<\/jats:title><jats:p>To compare the utility of an IGRA, the T-SPOT.TB assay, with that of the TST in healthcare workers with a high rate of BCG vaccination.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec id=\"S0195941700037528_abs3\"><jats:title>Methods.<\/jats:title><jats:p>Two hundred seven medical students from 2 consecutive cohorts underwent the T-SPOT.TB test and the TST in their final year of study. Subjects with negative baseline test results underwent repeat testing after working for 1 year as junior physicians in Singapore's public hospitals.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec id=\"S0195941700037528_abs4\"><jats:title>Results.<\/jats:title><jats:p>The baseline TST result was an induration 10 mm or greater in diameter in 177 of the 205 students who returned to have their TST results evaluated (86.3%), while the baseline T-SPOT.TB assay result was positive in 9 (4.3%) of the students. Repeat T-SPOT.TB testing in 182 baseline-negative subjects showed conversion in 9 (4.9%). A repeat TST in 18 subjects with baseline-negative TST results did not reveal any TST result conversion.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec id=\"S0195941700037528_abs5\"><jats:title>Conclusions.<\/jats:title><jats:p>The high rate of positive baseline TST results in our BCG-vaccinated healthcare workers renders the TST unsuitable as a surveillance tool in this tuberculosis risk group. Use of an IGRA has enabled the detection and treatment of latent tuberculosis in this group. Our T-SPOT.TB conversion rate highlights the need for greater tuberculosis awareness and improved infection control practices in our healthcare institutions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1086\/599284","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2009,7,28]],"date-time":"2009-07-28T18:40:57Z","timestamp":1248806457000},"page":"870-875","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["Use of a T Cell Interferon-<i>\u03b3<\/i> Release Assay to Evaluate Tuberculosis Risk in Newly Qualified Physicians in Singapore Healthcare Institutions"],"prefix":"10.1017","volume":"30","author":[{"given":"C. B. E.","family":"Chee","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"L. K. Y.","family":"Lim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"T. M.","family":"Barkham","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"D. R.","family":"Koh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"S. O.","family":"Lam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"L.","family":"Shen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Y. T.","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"56","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2015,1,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"S0195941700037528_ref004","first-page":"1T141","article-title":"Guidelines for preventing the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in health-care settings, 2005","volume":"54","author":"Jensen","year":"2005","journal-title":"MMWR CDC Surveill Summ"},{"key":"S0195941700037528_ref025","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/thorax.57.9.804"},{"key":"S0195941700037528_ref026","first-page":"1192","article-title":"False-positive tuberculin skin tests: what is the absolute effect of BCG and non-tuberculous mycobacteria?","volume":"10","author":"Farhat","year":"2006","journal-title":"Int J Tuberc Lung Dis"},{"key":"S0195941700037528_ref020","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.0040208"},{"key":"S0195941700037528_ref014","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00420-007-0212-1"},{"key":"S0195941700037528_ref022","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1164\/ajrccm.164.6.2101093"},{"key":"S0195941700037528_ref017","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/00365540601148483"},{"key":"S0195941700037528_ref012","unstructured":"National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. 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