TB screening with confidence
Welcome to the webinar hub for QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) and TB testing.
The US CDC now recommends TB blood tests, like QFT-Plus, for the majority of the US testing population (1). Doctors and hospitals trust QFT-Plus to provide accurate, cost-effective testing in a single patient visit.
To learn more about the benefits of QFT-Plus testing and hear about the latest testing guidelines from the CDC, IDSA, USCIS and more, watch our most recent webinars.
QFT-Plus webinar hub
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QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus: Is your practice up to date?
Recent publications show the potential of QFT-Plus technology for at-risk patient populations — including contact investigation, healthcare worker screening and immunocompromised patients. In this webinar, Dr. Masae Kawamura discusses the latest scientific advancements in TB testing, including a review of recent publications and a discussion of case scenarios applying the insights of QFT-Plus.
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Tuberculosis testing for healthcare providers in the age of COVID-19
Join Dr. Wendy Thanassi as she provides an overview of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB incidence, U.S. public health data on TB and LTBI and major U.S. healthcare policy guidelines. She also discusses the role of IGRA and LTBI treatment in these challenging times.
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Risk-based TB screening: a primary care approach to TB elimination
QFT-Plus features innovative CD8 T cell technology that provides clinicians with a more comprehensive picture of a patient’s immune response to TB. Join Dr. Alawode Oladele as he describes the importance of latent TB testing in the US. Dr. Oladele focuses on the benefits of modern TB blood testing with QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus.
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Current diagnostic standards and QFT testing for latent TB infection in children
Ending TB in children means ending TB in adults. Join Dr. Masae Kawamura to understand why children need to be screened for latent TB. In this webinar, Dr. Kawamura details testing recommendations from the AAP and describes how modern TB blood tests, like QFT-Plus, can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of latent TB diagnosis in children.
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Best practices in tuberculosis screening and prevention in long-term care facilities
More than 25% of TB cases in the USA occur in individuals over the age of 65. National guidelines from the US Preventive Services Task Force now recommend the screening of all persons entering congregate settings for latent TB infection. Watch the on-demand webinar where Dr. Sonia Qasba provides an overview of the best practices for TB screening in long-term care facilities.
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Understanding the USCIS TB testing guidelines for immigrations exams
As of October 1, 2018, the USCIS is no longer accepting the tuberculin skin test (TST) for US immigration exams. Instead, a TB blood test (interferon-gamma release assay or IGRA) is required for permanent resident applicants. View the on-demand webinar where Dr. Alawode Oladele introduces the new IGRA requirement and the updated technical instructions.
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TST or IGRA in healthcare workers: The when and the why
Healthcare providers (HCPs) are at increased risk of TB infection. In this webinar, Dr. Wendy Thanassi gives an overview of screening HCPs for TB infection. She discusses the risks of TB infection and latent TB reactivation in the occupational health setting and describes current testing guidelines. She also explains the operational and medical differences between the TST and modern TB blood tests (IGRAs).
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Combating the threat of TB in correctional facilities
Correctional facilities play a critical role in controlling TB. In this webinar, Dr. Masae Kawamura discusses recent policy advancements that are helping prevent tuberculosis in jails and prisons. You’ll learn about the latest diagnostic tools for TB infection as well as new preventative treatment regimens that are increasing compliance and decreasing cost.
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Management of latent TB infection in patients requiring initiation of biologic therapy
Join Dr. Vlad Nikolayevskyy as he provides an overview of the policies, practices and recent publications on screening patients requiring initiation of biologic therapy for TB infection. He also discusses new preventive treatment regimens and the use of IGRAs as a primary screening method.
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Managing TB and HIV amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global crisis with wide-reaching health and economic implications, including TB and HIV services. Join Dr. Sonia Qasba as she reviews screening for TB infection and prevention during these times, along with U.S. and global trends in COVID-19 epidemiology.
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The association between diabetes mellitus and latent TB infection
Someone with untreated latent TB infection (LTBI) and diabetes is more likely to develop tuberculosis (TB) disease than someone without diabetes. In this webinar, Dr. Sonia Qasba journeys through the epidemiology, risk and treatment recommendations of diabetic patients with LTBI. She also discusses how diabetes potentiates TB and why TB predisposes one to hyperglycemia.
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Latent TB infection testing, control and management in diabetes mellitus
Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for the development of active TB. In this webinar, Dr. Blanca I. Restrepo will describe the epidemiological landscape of TB and diabetes, with contrasting observations between adults and the elderly. Most notably, the elderly have a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes, yet this is not associated with higher odds of TB in this population. Finally, she will discuss the challenges for latent TB infection testing in the elderly. -
TB or not TB: Testing strategies that deliver speed and accuracy
TB remains a real danger to nursing home residents and staff, but many LTC providers are still under-testing, using hundred-year-old testing tools and bogging down staff onboarding with an outdated approach. During this webinar, Dr. Deb Burdsall will explain how pervasive TB is and how adopting new strategies can save providers time and — potentially — money.
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Finding TB in the crowd: testing strategies for today’s skilled nursing facilities
In today’s healthcare landscape, TB remains a real danger to nursing home residents and staff, especially if a case goes undetected. Join Evelyn Cook as she reviews the ongoing threat of TB in high-risk communities, educates on methods to identify cases and carriers and discusses modern strategies that increase screening efficiency and cost-effectiveness more quickly.
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Getting back to care – where will TB be after COVID-19?
As the world urgently rebuilds disrupted core health services for TB, can we draw on the innovations that evolved during COVID-19 to eliminate TB? Join Dr. Wendy Thanassi as she discusses the impact of COVID-19 from a US and global perspective. She will also highlight the unexpected upside that all the world’s attention, money and innovations could bring to the global battle to End TB.
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The predictive value of IGRAs and the role of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the immune response to TB
TB infection screening has dropped drastically due to COVID-19. Single visit tests, CD8 detection and automation – are we using all the tools we have to bridge the gap in TB care? In this webinar, Dr. Lei Gao (China) and Dr. Lucia Barcellini (Italy) will bring you perspectives on the future of TB diagnostics from both low- and high-burden TB settings.
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TB in children: Pediatric TB diagnosis and management
Once infected with M. tuberculosis, children with vulnerable immune systems are the most at risk of progressing to active TB disease. How can we protect children from TB? Join Dr. Ann M Loeffler and Dr. Danilo Buonsenso, along with our moderator Dr. Riccardo Alagna, to understand how testing and treating pediatric TB infection can help prevent development of TB disease in children.
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TB: Tried, tested and improved strategies for detecting infection
As COVID cases wane, providers must remain vigilant for other common causes of infection. In long-term care, few are more potentially dangerous than TB. Failing to detect a case among residents or new staff could prove deadly. During this webinar, Dr. Jennifer Hanrahan will discuss TB’s pervasiveness and key strategies to find cases and carriers faster.
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Meeting best practices tuberculosis screening targets in the university student population
With international students representing approximately 5% of the total US student population and campuses being highly crowded places with the potential for close contact, the risks of TB are amplified. Join Dr. Anna Harte as she discusses how screening and treating university students for TB helps prevent future disease in the individual and plays a vital role in protecting the health of our community by preventing downstream transmission and infection.
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Accelerate TB testing with LIAISON QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus
Sharp HealthCare Laboratory switched from manual TB test processing to the LIAISON QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test. By combining pre-analytic automation and the DiaSorin LIAISON XL, they reduced personnel hands on time by 75%. They also moved to simplified single tube blood collection – improving the test experience for their patients. In this webinar, Aaron Harding, the Director of the Sharp HealthCare Laboratory, will walk you through their transition from manual to automated TB testing.
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QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus: Is your practice up to date?
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Tuberculosis testing for healthcare providers in the age of COVID-19
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Risk-based TB screening: a primary care approach to TB elimination
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Current diagnostic standards and QFT testing for latent TB infection in children
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Best practices in tuberculosis screening and prevention in long-term care facilities
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Understanding the USCIS TB testing guidelines for immigrations exams
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TST or IGRA in healthcare workers: The when and the why
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Combating the threat of TB in correctional facilities
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Management of latent TB infection in patients requiring initiation of biologic therapy
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Managing TB and HIV amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
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The association between diabetes mellitus and latent TB infection
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Latent TB infection testing, control and management in diabetes mellitus
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TB or not TB: Testing strategies that deliver speed and accuracy
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Finding TB in the crowd: testing strategies for today’s skilled nursing facilities
-
Getting back to care – where will TB be after COVID-19?
-
The predictive value of IGRAs and the role of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the immune response to TB
-
TB in children: Pediatric TB diagnosis and management
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TB: Tried, tested and improved strategies for detecting infection
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Meeting best practices tuberculosis screening targets in the university student population
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Accelerate TB testing with LIAISON QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus
QFT-Plus resources
References:
1. Lewinsohn, et al. (2017) Official American Thoracic Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clinical practice guidelines: diagnosis of tuberculosis in adults and children. Clin. Infect. Dis. 64, 111–115.
QFT-Plus is an in vitro diagnostic aid for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. QFT-Plus is an indirect test for M. tuberculosis infection (including disease) and is intended for use in conjunction with risk assessment, radiography, and other medical and diagnostic evaluations. The USA format of the QFT-Plus test has not been extensively evaluated with specimens from individuals who have impaired or altered immune functions, such as those who have HIV infection or AIDS, those who have transplantation managed with immunosuppressive treatment or others who receive immunosuppressive drugs (e.g., corticosteroids, methotrexate, azathioprine, cancer chemotherapy), those who have other clinical conditions, such as diabetes, silicosis, chronic renal failure, and hematological disorders (e.g., leukemia and lymphomas), or those with other specific malignancies (e.g., carcinoma of the head or neck and lung), or individuals younger than age 17 years. QFT-Plus package inserts, up-to-date licensing information and product-specific disclaimers can be found at www.QuantiFERON.com