AUTHOR=Rodríguez-Molino Paula , González Sánchez Araceli , Noguera-Julián Antoni , Soler-García Aleix , Martínez Paz Patricia , Méndez-Echevarría Ana , Baquero-Artigao Fernando , González Muñoz Miguel , Ruíz-Serrano María Jesús , Monsonís Manuel , Sánchez León Rocío , Saavedra-Lozano Jesús , Santiago-García Begoña , Sainz Talía 

TITLE=QuantiFERON-TB reversion in children and adolescents with tuberculosis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1310472

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2024.1310472

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>We analyzed 136 children with tuberculosis disease or infection and a positive QuantiFERON-TB (QFT) assay, followed-up for a median of 21 months (0.4-11years). QFT reversed in 16.9% of cases, with significant decreases in TB1 (-1.72 <italic>vs</italic>. -0.03 IU/ml, p=0.001) and TB2 (-1.65 <italic>vs</italic>. -0.43 IU/ml, p=0.005) levels compared to non-reverters. We found a higher QFT reversion rate among children under 5 years (25.0% <italic>vs</italic> 11.9%, p=0.042), and those with TST induration &lt;15mm (29% <italic>vs</italic> 13.3%, p=0.055). Our data reveal that, although QFT test remained positive in the majority of children, reversion occurred in 16% of cases in a progressive and stable pattern. Younger age and reduced TST induration were associated with QFT reversion.</p>