QuantiFERON TB Gold Plus Blood Test

The QuantiFERON TB test has been shown to be accurate in HIV-positive individuals with moderately advanced disease, but in the severely immunocompromised the test may be impaired by T-cell anergy.

Spontaneous interferon-gamma production (independent of TB stimulation) or lack of a response to mitogen (due to anergy or immune suppression) may render the results indeterminate. A negative result should not be used alone to exclude M tuberculosis infection in persons with symptoms or signs suggestive of TB disease. Those who have a negative result, but who are likely to have latent TB infection (LTBI) and who are at greater risk for severe illness or poor outcome if TB disease occurs, might need treatment or closer monitoring for disease.

NOTE:  This test is time-sensitive and specimens must be received in the laboratory within 14 hours of collection. Specimen collection times will vary depending on logistics from the blood draw location to a LabCorp lab. This test requires a special collection kit that may not be available at all LabCorp locations. Contact your local LabCorp draw site to verify they have the collection kit in stock before visiting the lab.