It is a new blood test, which can identify latent TB and is thought to be
very accurate.
The mantoux test is known to be unreliable sometimes with false
positives & negatives; it can also be inconvenient & may cause painful skin
reactions. I understand the NICE guidelines now recommend the use of
this test. If you google in T-Spot or Elispot there is quite a lot of
information about it.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Anna
----- Original Message -----
From: "N. Rostami" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2007 8:41 AM
Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] Anti - HBs levels in EEP workers & new DoH
guidelines
> Can you please explain what TB Tspot blood test is and it's significance.
> Thank you
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf
> Of Anna Bacon
> Sent: 03 October 2007 17:56
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] Anti - HBs levels in EEP workers & new DoH
> guidelines
>
> Hi Michael
> We only recheck HBsAg for non-responders (<10) who do EPP's. I understand
> that some European countries and USA feel that >10 is an adequate response
> and there is also now a belief that anyone with a titre of >10 will
> develop
> 'memory' cells that will activate antiHBs, if exposed to HBV. I think
> there
>
> is also a lot of discussion now as to whether booster vaccines on good
> responders are actually necessary; we do still give one 5 yr booster.
>
> We had started doing IVS for HBsAg & HCabs in 2003, for new EPP workers,
> when the draft guidelines came in. When they became official this year we
> introduced HIV testing as well. We also now do a lot more testing of
> measles
>
> & mumps IgG. Rather than CXR & mantoux testing we now do TB Tspot blood
> tests for any new starter who has been in a high risk area in the last 5
> years for more than one month.
>
> Following on from Bob Dunn's emails about screening their med.students I
> would like to let him know that his screening of the students was
> enormously
>
> helpful and much appreciated when the new doctors started in August, as we
> get a large intake of Oxford doctors. I believe Oxford started screening
> their students as some consultants at other Trusts felt that it
> significantly limits their training experience if they can't do EPPs on
> placements . I agree with Jean that it would make sense for the NHS to
> pick
> up the cost of these tests, rather than the student or university.
> Regards
> Anna
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Cockayne" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 3:40 PM
> Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] Anti - HBs levels in EEP workers
>
>
> Hi Glen,
> Thanks for your reply.I'm aware of the DOH guidence regarding EPP workers,
> I was enquiring about the diffence in practice in the area of acceptable
> Anti-HBs levels. It's the workers who have >10 but <100 iu/l that appear
> to be managed differently, and it's interesting that you state that they
> are 'immune without confidence' and I think that is the problem! I know
> that some OH departments request annual serology on EPP workers with Anti
> HBs <100, some department with <50, and still others only with the
> true 'non responders' who have <10 iu/l. I would be interested in hearing
> from other OH nurses on what their departments consider to be appropriate
> Anti HBs protection for their EPP workers not to have annual serology.
>
> Thanks
>
> Michael
>
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