Quanti-FERON® TB-Gold

For Specimen Integrity during Extreme Weather see the “Lockbox Usage in Extreme Weather” document at the top of this page.

Send patients to PSC for collection. Quanti-FERON® TB-Gold in-tube collection tubes required.

QTF

74451

QuantiFERON In-Tube collection tubes required.
In-Tube collection tubes are a set 4 tubes that are used specifically for collection for Quanti-FERON® TB-Gold testing.

NOTE: Outpatients from a doctor's office must go to a PSC to have the sample collected.
Hospitalized patients will be drawn by the phlebotomy staff at the hospital.

QuantiFERON(TM)In-Tube collection tubes REQUIRED. In-Tube collection tubes are a set 4 tubes that are used specifically for collection for QuantiFERON(TM) testing.

Draw blood in all 4 tubes, shake vigorously (until frothy), and send to laboratory at room temperature (DO NOT REFRIGERATE). Must be processed within 16 hours of collection.
DO NOT SPIN THE TUBES

Quanti-FERON® TB-Gold in-tube collection tubes

Room Temperature

Room Temperature = 16 hours
Refrigerated = unacceptable
Frozen = unacceptable

Reject specimen if older than 16 hours post collection, refrigerated or frozen

Collect Samples: Monday - Sunday
Testing Performed: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday or Sunday
BS

4 days

A positive and negative control are performed with each patient sample.
If these controls are within the acceptable limits, any value <0.35 IU/ML is interpreted as negative and any value >=0.35 IU/ML is interpreted as positive. If the positive and negative control are outside the acceptable limits, the results are interpreted as indeterminate.

The QuantiFERON test is based upon a cell-mediated immune response in TB-infected individuals. The T cells of the patient are stimulated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens. If the patient has previously been exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the exposure to these antigens in the QuantiFERON assay stimulate the patient's T cells to secrete the cytokine interferon-γ. The presence of the interferon-γ is then detected using an EIA method. According to the CDC, this assay may be used as a substitute for a TB skin test. It is more specific than the TB skin test, will detect latent TB, and a positive result is obtained in about 85% of the patients with active TB.