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Guidelines on the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Ireland

Guidelines on the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Ireland

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<str<strong>on</strong>g>Guidel<strong>in</strong>es</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Preventi<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> C<strong>on</strong>trol <strong>of</strong> <strong>Tuberculosis</strong> <strong>in</strong> Irel<strong>and</strong> 2010HSE/HPSC10.4 Diagnosis <strong>of</strong> HIV <strong>in</strong> TB CasesIt is recognised that currently HIV test<strong>in</strong>g may not be undertaken rout<strong>in</strong>ely for all TB cases <strong>in</strong> Irel<strong>and</strong>. Anoptimal strategy for HIV screen<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> TB patients would <strong>in</strong>volve all TB patients, regardless <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> perceivedrisk <strong>of</strong> HIV <strong>in</strong>fecti<strong>on</strong>, be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong>fered HIV test<strong>in</strong>g as part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir TB assessment. 358 In countries with a low<strong>in</strong>cidence<strong>of</strong> TB, studies have shown that cases <strong>of</strong> TB/HIV <strong>in</strong>fecti<strong>on</strong> have been missed because heterosexualtransmissi<strong>on</strong> was not c<strong>on</strong>sidered as an important risk factor for HIV <strong>in</strong>fecti<strong>on</strong>. 359Recommendati<strong>on</strong>:All TB cases should be <strong>of</strong>fered HIV test<strong>in</strong>g.10.5 Screen<strong>in</strong>g for LTBIIndividuals with symptoms <strong>of</strong> TB should have a chest X-ray <strong>and</strong> cl<strong>in</strong>ical evaluati<strong>on</strong> as so<strong>on</strong> as possible,regardless <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> TST result. Asymptomatic HIV-<strong>in</strong>fected cases should have a TST (Mantoux test), an IGRA(if available) <strong>and</strong> chest X-ray to <strong>in</strong>vestigate <strong>the</strong> possibility that <strong>the</strong> patient has active disease. HIV positive<strong>in</strong>dividuals with an <strong>in</strong>durati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> >5mm <strong>and</strong> no chest X-ray f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs are eligible for treatment <strong>of</strong> latent<strong>in</strong>fecti<strong>on</strong>.A basel<strong>in</strong>e chest X-ray should be taken when a HIV diagnosis is c<strong>on</strong>firmed, 360 <strong>and</strong> this committeerecommends that screen<strong>in</strong>g by chest X-ray should be undertaken every two to three years <strong>the</strong>reafter, todeterm<strong>in</strong>e any changes. CDC suggests annual repeat test<strong>in</strong>g for those TST negative <strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong>itial test<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong>who bel<strong>on</strong>g to a populati<strong>on</strong> at substantial risk <strong>of</strong> exposure. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, hepatitis C screen<strong>in</strong>g should alsobe c<strong>on</strong>sidered, particularly for HIV-<strong>in</strong>fected cases with a history <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>ject<strong>in</strong>g drug use.Tubercul<strong>in</strong> sk<strong>in</strong> test<strong>in</strong>gThe prevalence <strong>of</strong> positive TSTs decreases progressively with decl<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g CD4 count, 361 <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong> TST haslimited diagnostic value am<strong>on</strong>g patients with severe immunodeficiency. 34 The proporti<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> cases react<strong>in</strong>gto PPD decl<strong>in</strong>es from 50-90% for cases with a CD4 count <strong>of</strong> ≥ 500 cells/μl, to 0-20% for cases with a CD4count <strong>of</strong> ≤ 200 cells/μl. 345 Tubercul<strong>in</strong> reactivity tends to be lost because <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g immunodeficiencyresults <strong>in</strong> a weakened delayed-type hypersensitivity resp<strong>on</strong>se to mycobacterial antigens. HAART (HighlyActive Antiretroviral Therapy) may improve <strong>the</strong> immune resp<strong>on</strong>se to TB but patients most likely to go froma negative to a positive TST result are those whose CD4 rises by > 200 cells/μl. 345In <strong>the</strong> UK, BHIVA do not recommend tubercul<strong>in</strong> sk<strong>in</strong> test<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> patients with CD4 counts < 400 cells/μl, 345while CDC guidance <strong>in</strong>dicates that TSTs are positive <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> majority <strong>of</strong> patients with pulm<strong>on</strong>ary disease <strong>and</strong>CD4+ T lymphocyte count > 200 cells/ul. The view <strong>of</strong> this committee is that a TST should be undertakenregardless <strong>of</strong> CD4+ T lymphocyte count, with <strong>the</strong> proviso that <strong>the</strong> result may be unreliable <strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>dividualwith lower CD4 counts. TST <strong>in</strong>durati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> >5mm should be c<strong>on</strong>sidered positive regardless <strong>of</strong> BCG status,<strong>and</strong> evaluati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> treatment <strong>of</strong> latent <strong>in</strong>fecti<strong>on</strong> should be c<strong>on</strong>sidered. Previous BCG vacc<strong>in</strong>ati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> a HIV<strong>in</strong>fected<strong>in</strong>dividual does not <strong>in</strong>fer immunity.Interfer<strong>on</strong> gamma release assays (IGRA)The use <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>terfer<strong>on</strong> gamma release assay for diagnos<strong>in</strong>g latent <strong>and</strong> active TB has been addressedelsewhere <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>se guidel<strong>in</strong>es (chapter 2). Despite be<strong>in</strong>g an immunological assay, studies suggest it maybe more useful for diagnos<strong>in</strong>g LTBI <strong>in</strong> HIV-<strong>in</strong>fected <strong>in</strong>dividuals than <strong>the</strong> tubercul<strong>in</strong> sk<strong>in</strong> test. 34;362 However,fur<strong>the</strong>r studies are required to correlate IGRA results with CD4 counts <strong>and</strong> to test <strong>the</strong> reproducibility <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>test <strong>in</strong> this populati<strong>on</strong>. 345 The lack <strong>of</strong> evidence c<strong>on</strong>cern<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> utility <strong>of</strong> an IGRA <strong>in</strong> this populati<strong>on</strong> makes itdifficult to devise recommendati<strong>on</strong>s.It is recommended that <strong>the</strong> TST should be used <strong>in</strong>itially to detect LTBI <strong>and</strong> a pers<strong>on</strong> with a positiveresult should be c<strong>on</strong>sidered to have LTBI. 30 False negative results are not uncomm<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> immunodeficient<strong>in</strong>dividuals; <strong>the</strong>refore if a cl<strong>in</strong>ician is c<strong>on</strong>cerned about <strong>the</strong> possibility <strong>of</strong> such a TST result, an IGRA canbe c<strong>on</strong>ducted. LTBI can be c<strong>on</strong>sidered if an IGRA test is positive, while <strong>in</strong>determ<strong>in</strong>ate results should be-126-

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