The latent tuberculosis infection survey using two interferon γ release assay tests among the elderly in a well-confined rural county in Eastern China

The prevalence of LTBI among individuals aged 65 and above in the relatively confined rural areas of Zhejiang Province was as high as 26.78%, which required focused attention with the intensification of population aging. Male sex, smoking duration, and exercise frequency were all associated with LTBI, and the underlying mechanisms needed to be explored in the future. The domestic reagent AIMTB of China showed good agreement with IGRA reagents in old adults, which offered a model for tailoring cutoff thresholds to specific populations, helping reduce LTBI screening costs in low- and middle-income countries. Besides, the need to appropriately raise diagnostic standards should be further verified through large-scale population studies in the future.