BACKGROUND: The ability to detect tuberculosis-specific lymphocytes by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay may have important implications for the diagnosis and monitoring of tuberculosis in children, for which routine methods lack sensitivity. We conducted a study to determine the presence and time course of ELISPOT responses in children with tuberculosis. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from children with a clinical diagnosis of tuberculosis, and interferon-gamma ELISPOT assays were performed using purified protein derivative (PPD), early secretory antigenic target 6 (ESAT-6), and culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP10) as stimulants. A subset of children were retested after 1, 3, and 6 months of therapy. RESULTS: Detectable responses to ESAT-6 or CFP10 were found in 49 of 70 children with clinical tuberculosis but were more frequently found in those with culture-proven disease (P = .05). The number of subjects with responses to PPD increased after 1 month of therapy (P = .0004) and decreased at 3 and 6 months. CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis-specific ELISPOT testing is a promising tool that should be evaluated as a potential diagnostic test for childhood tuberculosis. We caution against the use of an early decrease in response as a marker of successful antituberculous chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND: The ability to detect tuberculosis-specific lymphocytes by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay may have important implications for the diagnosis and monitoring of tuberculosis in children, for which routine methods lack sensitivity. We conducted a study to determine the presence and time course of ELISPOT responses in children with tuberculosis. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from children with a clinical diagnosis of tuberculosis, and interferon-gamma ELISPOT assays were performed using purified protein derivative (PPD), early secretory antigenic target 6 (ESAT-6), and culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP10) as stimulants. A subset of children were retested after 1, 3, and 6 months of therapy. RESULTS: Detectable responses to ESAT-6 or CFP10 were found in 49 of 70 children with clinical tuberculosis but were more frequently found in those with culture-proven disease (P = .05). The number of subjects with responses to PPD increased after 1 month of therapy (P = .0004) and decreased at 3 and 6 months. CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis-specific ELISPOT testing is a promising tool that should be evaluated as a potential diagnostic test for childhood tuberculosis. We caution against the use of an early decrease in response as a marker of successful antituberculous chemotherapy.
Authors: Clare R Sander; Ansar A Pathan; Natalie E R Beveridge; Ian Poulton; Angela Minassian; Nicola Alder; Johan Van Wijgerden; Adrian V S Hill; Fergus V Gleeson; Robert J O Davies; Geoffrey Pasvol; Helen McShane Journal: Am J Respir Crit Care Med Date: 2009-01-16 Impact factor: 21.405
Authors: Tom G Connell; Mary-Ann Davies; Christine Johannisen; Kathryn Wood; Sandy Pienaar; Katalin A Wilkinson; Robert J Wilkinson; Heather J Zar; David Beatty; Mark P Nicol; Nigel Curtis; Brian Eley Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2010-05-27 Impact factor: 3.090
Authors: Ifedayo M O Adetifa; Martin O C Ota; Brigitte Walther; Abdulrahman S Hammond; Moses D Lugos; David J Jeffries; Simon A Donkor; Richard A Adegbola; Philip C Hill Journal: PLoS One Date: 2010-09-01 Impact factor: 3.240