Qiagen test to be used for nationwide tuberculosis screening in Taiwan

Qiagen has partnered with the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control to assist tuberculosis screening efforts in the country.

The QuantiFERON-TB Gold test has been selected to replace the tuberculin skin test for screening at-risk individuals five years and older starting this month, allowing close contacts of patients with active tuberculosis to be screened.

Taiwan will seek to provide antibiotic treatment for patients identified as having latent tuberculosis infection in order to prevent the further spread of the contagious and potentially fatal disease.

A number of countries have already adopted the QuantiFERON-TB Gold test, of which more than 20 million have been distributed globally to date.

Dr Masae Kawamura, senior director of medical and scientific affairs for Qiagen, said: "Screening at-risk populations for latent tuberculosis infection allows early treatment and prevention of the active disease, which is contagious and requires aggressive treatment with antibiotics."

This follows the launch of the fourth-generation QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test in Europe last year.