Tuberculosis contacts but not patients have higher gamma interferon responses to ESAT-6 than do community controls in The Gambia.
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen ESAT-6 has been proposed for tuberculosis immunodiagnosis. In The Gambia, 30% of community controls produced gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) in response to ESAT-6. Increased proportions of responders and intensities of responses were found in household contacts. Responses that were initially low in tuberculosis patients increased after treatment. An ESAT-6 IFN-gamma assay will be of limited use in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in countries where tuberculosis is endemic. Its role in contact tracing should be evaluated further.
Vekemans
J
J
Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, The Gambia. Johan.Vekemans@ulb.ac.be
Lienhardt
C
C
Sillah
J S
JS
Wheeler
J G
JG
Lahai
G P
GP
Doherty
M T
MT
Corrah
T
T
Andersen
P
P
McAdam
K P
KP
Marchant
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; C093276:ESAT-6 protein, Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D007371:Interferon-gamma