QuantiFERON TB Gold test is a blood test done to determine Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is the leading cause of tuberculosis. Also known as QFT, it is now used as an option for the tuberculin skin test. Unlike TFT, it is a controlled lab test, is unaffected by prior Baccile Calmette Guerin infection, and is more specific and sensitive than a tuberculin skin test. The test determines the presence of TB germs and assists you in getting treatment before the infection spreads and becomes fatal. Your doctor will prescribe this test if you need a TB screening and an accurate assessment. You can book the QuantiFERON TB Gold test in Delhi at Redcliffe labs, as it is available at an affordable price after a discount, along with a free sample collection.
What is the QuantiFERON TB Gold test?
Tuberculosis is a highly contagious respiratory disease which is caused by the mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Diagnosis of LTBI is a vital step in preventing the reactivation of TB, particularly in risk populations and treatment of latent TB. TB gold test is a simple blood test performed to determine Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a bacteria that lead to tuberculosis. QFT is an interferon-gamma release assay, also known as IGRA, and is a modern option for the tuberculin skin test.
It is a lab test that needs only one patient visit and is unaffected by previous BCG vaccination. The test is considered the most clinically tested and proven IGRA available and is the most accurate and reproducible result for TB infection. The accuracy of QuantiFERON-TB Gold is as high as 92 per cent in people with active disease but varies and depends upon the setting and extent of TB disease. . Sensitivity is the probability or accuracy of the test that indicates a person has the disease or infection when that person does have the disease.
What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection known as TB and can be fatal if left untreated. It mainly affects your lungs but, in some cases, can also affect other organs like the brain. A highly contagious disease can cause lung infection or other tissues. Not everyone who becomes infected gets sick, but if you get sick, you need immediate treatment.
If you have an infection with the bacterium but do not show any symptoms, you have an inactive TB or latent TB infection. It may seem that it has gone, but it is dormant inside the body. If in case you have an infection and show symptoms as well, then you have active TB or TB diseases that can be quickly spread. There are mainly three stages of TB:
- Primary infection,
- Latent infection
- Active TB infection
TB disease is preventable as well as curable. If recognized early, your healthcare specialist can provide effective preventive treatment. If TB is active, it is treated by prescribing multiple drugs required for at least six months that will usually cure the disease and offer a full recovery.
What are the leading causes of tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is caused by the bacterium known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and these berms are spread through the air and usually infect the lungs. However, it can also affect other body parts as well. It is an infectious disease but does not spread easily. You have to spend time with an infected person, and then you will catch it. TB can be spread when a person has active TB disease and releases germs into the air through sneezing, coughing, talking, singing or even laughing. People who have an active pulmonary infection are contagious.
What are the factors that make you more prone for TB?
TB risk factors comprise all things that weaken a person’s immune system or put someone in close contact with a person having active TB. Also, people with an existing health condition that weakens the immune system are at more risk of developing the infection. Suppose you have any of the below-listed health conditions. In that case, you are at risk of developing TB:
- HIV infection
- Silicosis
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Severe kidney disorder
- Head and neck cancer
- If you have undergone an organ implant
- Rheumatoid arthritis,
- Crohn’s disease.
What is the reason To Take the Quantiferon Tb Gold Test?
QuantiFERON TB Gold test is prescribed by your health provider if there are signs of tuberculosis infection, like if you experience symptoms like
- Cough for more than three weeks
- Pain in chest
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Fatigue
- Unexplained weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Blood in phlegm
- Difficulty in breathing
- Persistent, prolonged and painful cough
If your doctor prescribes a QuantiFERON TB Gold test, then you must look for a lab that offers an affordable test price; book your test with Redcliffe labs at the earliest. The test is also recommended as a precautionary measure for people who have come in contact with people with active tuberculosis infection. The test is also recommended for international students, diplomats, healthcare workers, and volunteers working in high-risk zones.
What is the treatment option?
Your doctor will discuss your risk of developing the Tb disease after your positive test result and the treatment option available. You should specify to your doctor what medications you take and whether you are pregnant. As per your condition and your test results, the doctor will prescribe a preventative medicine; however, you need to understand that when you start your treatment, you should take medicines without interruption as incomplete treatment may put you at high risk of future disease.
How to get a QuantiFERON TB Gold test result interpretation?
Your QuantiFERON TB Gold test shows a positive result towards the infection with mycobacterium tuberculosis. It does not mean that the person has active TB, but it means that the person has been exposed to the infection, i.e. mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium. The test can distinguish between active TB disease and latent TB infection. Thus QuantiFERON TB Gold test is used with it along with risk assessment, radiography and many other medical and diagnostic evaluations. After the blood test is taken by lab representatives and analyzed, the test will show the following results:
Negative to normal
Positive or abnormal
Intermediate (the test could not give definitive results, and it must be Retaken with a fresh blood sample ).
The diagnosis of the condition is evaluated and decided by considering many factors like test results, risk factors and much other clinical information.
What is the cost of the QuantiFERON TB Gold test?
QuantiFERON TB Gold test is a simple blood test prescribed by a doctor to identify latent TB cases. The main objective of the test is to diagnose LTBI to consider medical treatment for preventing the disease. A positive test result will show that a person has a TB infection. The test price depends on the labs in which it is done. Redcliffe labs offer this test at discounted rates. QuantiFERON TB Gold test in Delhi at Redcliffe labs is Rs 1800 with a free home collection. The test does not require any specific preparation. People with an existing chronic illness or taking specific medications should discuss them with their doctor to ensure maximum accuracy of the results.
Conclusion
Tuberculosis is a disease that spreads through the air from one person to another. When someone gets sick with TB, coughs, sparks, sings and sneezes, the person nearby will get affected and can breathe Tb bacteria into their lungs. TB bacteria can live in a body without showing any symptoms and without making a person sick.
People with latent TB infection do not feel sick, but people can go on developing TB disease. QuantiFERON TB Gold test is a blood test that helps to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, latent TB infection and Tb disease. You can book the TB gold test at Redcliffe labs, as it is one of the best pathology labs in India that offers all types of testing at affordable rates. You have to call, and their expert representatives and health care professionals will visit at home at a time that is allotted. They will collect the blood sample most hygienically and use standard procedures.
To know more, click the given link below.
https://redcliffelabs.com/delhi/tests/quantiferon-tb-igra
