HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wrighton-Smith, P. Articles by Zellweger, J-P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wrighton-Smith, P. Articles by Zellweger, J-P.

Direct costs of three models for the screening of latent tuberculosis infection

¹ Oxford Immunotec, Oxford, UK, ² University Medical Policlinic, Lausanne, Switzerland.

CORRESPONDENCE: J-P. Zellweger, University Medical Policlinic, Rue du Bugnon 44, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland. Fax: 41 213144740. E-mail: Jean-Pierre.Zellweger{at}hospvd.ch and zellwegerjp{at}swissonline.ch

Keywords: Contact tracing, interferon- release assays, latent tuberculosis infection, screening, tuberculosis

Received: January 15, 2006
Accepted March 29, 2006

The aim of the present study was to compare the direct costs of three models for detection of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in routine clinical practice in Switzerland.

Comparison of the overall costs of screening for LTBI, including medical and radiological examination, and preventive treatment associated with three screening models was carried out. Model 1 relies only on the tuberculin skin test (TST) according to the current national guidelines, model 2 relies on T-SPOT®.TB (Oxford Immunotec, Oxford, UK) only and model 3 relies on TST followed by confirmation of positive results by T-SPOT.TB. Costs were taken directly from the clinic's figures. Clinical assumptions were based on the 267 patients who were referred to the clinic over the study period.

Model 3 was found to be the most cost-effective. Using only the skin test (model 1) was the least cost-effective. If only one test for LTBI is to be used, then model 2 (using T-SPOT.TB only) is cheaper than using the TST (model 1).

Screening for latent tuberculosis infection by tuberculin skin test followed by confirmation with T-SPOT.TB is less costly than screening with tuberculin skin test alone, as it allows a reduction in the number of people who receive preventive treatment. In groups with a high proportion of negative tuberculin skin tests, screening with T-SPOT.TB test only may be the most cost-effective.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Brodie, D. J. Lederer, J. S. Gallardo, S. H. Trivedi, J. N. Burzynski, and N. W. Schluger Use of an Interferon-{gamma} Release Assay To Diagnose Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Foreign-Born Patients Chest, April 1, 2008; 133(4): 869 - 874. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Diel, P. Wrighton-Smith, and J-P. Zellweger Cost-effectiveness of interferon-{gamma} release assay testing for the treatment of latent tuberculosis Eur. Respir. J., August 1, 2007; 30(2): 321 - 332. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Lalvani Diagnosing Tuberculosis Infection in the 21st Century: New Tools To Tackle an Old Enemy Chest, June 1, 2007; 131(6): 1898 - 1906. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Diel, A. Nienhaus, and R. Loddenkemper Cost-effectiveness of Interferon-{gamma} Release Assay Screening for Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment in Germany Chest, May 1, 2007; 131(5): 1424 - 1434. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Richeldi An Update on the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis Infection Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., October 1, 2006; 174(7): 736 - 742. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. D. O. Davies and F. Drobniewski The use of interferon-{gamma}-based blood tests for the detection of latent tuberculosis infection. Eur. Respir. J., July 1, 2006; 28(1): 1 - 3. [Full Text] [PDF]