title: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with BCG sonicate antigen for diagnostic potential of mycobacterial infection in Taiwan.
abstract: The diagnostic potential of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) sonicate antigen for detection of mycobacterial infections, including pulmonary tuberculosis and leprosy, has been evaluated in Taiwan area. One hundred blood samples were collected from 74 active and 26 inactive pulmonary tuberculosis patients of the Taiwan Provincial Tuberculosis Control Bureau. Another 50 samples were collected from 24 lepromatous, 23 tuberculoid and 3 borderline leprosy patients at the Taiwan Provincial Lo-Sheng Leprosarium. The IgG anti-BCG sonicate levels were compared among patients with tuberculosis, active or inactive, patients with leprosy, and healthy individuals. Patients with tuberculosis, both active and inactive, and those with leprosy had higher BCG sonicate antibody levels and frequencies above cutoff value than healthy subjects (for BCG-sonicate antibody, p less than 0.05 for inactive tuberculosis, p less than 0.0001 for others; for frequency above cutoff, p less than 0.001 for inactive tuberculosis, p less than 0.0001 for others). Among the three groups of patients, significant differences were noted in anti-BCG sonicate antibody level, and there was no difference of frequency above the cutoff value (i.e. inactive tuberculosis had lower level than active tuberculosis and leprosy, p less than 0.005). In conclusion, ELISA with BCG sonicate antigen could serve as a diagnostic aid for mycobacterial infection in Taiwan. However, it was not possible to differentiate disease activity in tuberculosis, or to discriminate infectious species of mycobacteria. Purified mycobacterial antigens should be tried in further research to improve the specificity and sensitivity in serodiagnosis with ELISA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, ROC.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chuang
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007918:Leprosy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G