title: Evaluation of a western blot serum test for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
abstract: This study was designed to evaluate the possibility of monitoring Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection using a serological assay. A discriminant score comprising antigen fractions of 38, 28, 24 and 19 kDa, identified in western blots using the Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) A60 antigen complex was established in a sample of 57 purified protein derivative (PPD)-negative and 47 PPD-positive individuals. It was then tested in a group of 140 subjects undergoing BCG vaccination as a model of tuberculosis complex infection and in a group of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals as a model of cell-mediated immunodeficiency-related risk of tuberculosis. The discriminant score identified 57 out of 57 (100%) PPD-positives and none (0%) of the 47 PPD-negatives. In the BCG vaccinated subjects, 1.4% tested positive before vaccination and 90% after vaccination. In the HIV-positive subjects, 90% of the PPD-positive and 5% of the PPD-negative subjects had a positive score. This study suggests that the western blot discriminant score is an accurate test to survey M. tuberculosis infection in serum samples.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Medicine, Università di Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rovatti
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Corradi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amicosante
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Tartoni
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Panini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ancora
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cenci
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zucchi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monno
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Angarano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saltini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C055539:mycobacterial A60 antigen