Tuberculosis test

Diagnostic testing for tuberculosis can be accomplished via the standard tuberculin skin test with purified protein derivative (PPD) or by an interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) blood test, Quantiferon-TB Gold, approved by the FDA in 2005. The advantages that the blood test offers is that it requires only a single test visit, and it is less susceptible to false positive results due to BCG vaccination or to infection with mycobacteria other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis.