Collection Requirements

Special Collection Kit – Call laboratory

• QFT-NIL Control – Whole blood (gray cap white ring). 1.0 mL (0.8 mL minimum).

• QFT-TB1 Antigen – Whole blood (green cap white ring). 1.0 mL (0.8 mL minimum).

• QFT-TB2 Antigen – Whole blood (yellow cap white ring). 1.0 mL (0.8 mL minimum).

• QFT-Mitogen Control – Whole blood (purple cap white ring). 1.0 mL (0.8 mL minimum).

*High Altitude Collection Kit tubes have a cap with a yellow ring.

1. For each patient, collect 1.0 mL of blood by venipuncture directly into each of the four (4) QuantiFERON® – TB Gold Plus blood collection tubes. The black mark on the side of the tube indicates the 1 mL fill volume. Under or overfilling tubes may produce erroneous results. If a “butterfly needle” is being used to collect blood, a “purge” tube should be used to ensure that the tubing is filled with blood prior to the QFT-Plus Blood Collection Tubes being used.

2. Immediately after filling the tube, shake them ten times just firmly enough to ensure the entire surface of the tube is coated with blood, to solubilize antigens in tube walls. Overly energetic shaking may cause gel disruption and could lead to aberrant results.

3. Incubate all four (4) tubes upright at 37°C for 16-24 hours. Incubation must commence within 16 hours of collection. DO NOT REFRIGERATE or FREEZE WHOLE BLOOD SAMPLES. Refrigeration will cause aberrant results.

4. Following 37°C incubation, centrifuge the 4 collection tubes for 15 minutes at 2000-3000 RCF (g). Spun samples are stable for 28 days at 2-8°C (refrigerated). Transport refrigerated samples to reference lab in the original collection tubes.

High Altitude Collection Kit contains:

• QFT-NIL tube (1 each) – Whole blood (gray cap yellow ring). 1.0 mL (0.8 mL minimum).

• QFT-TB tube (1 each) – Whole blood (red cap yellow ring). 1.0 mL (0.8 mL minimum).

• QFT-Mitogen tube (1 each) – Whole blood (purple cap yellow ring). 1.0 mL (0.8 mL minimum).

Collection Procedure:

1. For each patient, collect 1.0 mL of blood by venipuncture directly into each of the three (3) QuantiFERON® – TB Gold IT blood collection tubes. The black mark on the side of the tube indicates the 1 mL fill volume. Under or overfilling tubes may produce erroneous results.

2. Immediately after filling the tube, shake them ten times just firmly enough to ensure the entire surface of the tube is coated with blood, to solubilize antigens in tube walls. Overly energetic shaking may cause gel disruption and could lead to aberrant results.

3. Incubate all three (3) tubes upright at 37°C for 16-24 hours. Incubation must commence within 16 hours of collection. DO NOT REFRIGERATE WHOLE BLOOD SAMPLES. Refrigeration will cause aberrant results.

4. Following 37°C incubation, centrifuge the 3 collection tubes for 15 minutes at 2000-3000 RCF (g). Spun samples are stable for 28 days at 2-8°C (refrigerated). Transport refrigerated samples to reference lab in the original collection tubes.