Latent tuberculosis: IGRA test procedure

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, is one of the oldest known human diseases and a leading cause of death worldwide. Tuberculosis remains an extremely dangerous disease for the human population and, according to the WHO, is the leading cause of death in the human population after HIV/AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). Tuberculosis is particularly prevalent among the lower socio-economic strata of the population and among marginalized groups in the community. The World Health Organization's (WHO) tuberculosis (TB) control strategy has two main objectives: first, to reduce global TB incidence and TB deaths by 2035. While detection of active TB cases has been the cornerstone of the public health response to TB, modeling suggests that to achieve these ambitious goals, it is essential to reduce the reservoir of latent TB through preventive therapy. IGRA (interferon gamma release assay) tests aim to identify subjects with latent tuberculosis infection. These tests, performed on blood samples, identify in vitro the presence of an immune response directed against peptide antigens specific to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.