Rapid diagnosis of CNS tuberculosis by a T-cell interferon-gamma release assay on cerebrospinal fluid mononuclear cells.
Central nervous system tuberculosis remains a clinical diagnostic challenge. The ex vivo Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT) is a novel assay for the rapid detection of M. tuberculosis-specific T-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood. However, when performed on peripheral blood, this assay cannot distinguish between active tuberculosis or latent tuberculosis infection. On the assumption that M. tuberculosis-specific T-lymphocytes migrate to sites of infection, we were able to demonstrate high levels of M. tuberculosis-specific cells by ELISPOT in the cerebrospinal fluid of a patient with tuberculous meningitis and intracerebral tuberculoma four weeks before cerebrospinal fluid culture became positive for M. tuberculosis by culture.
Kösters
K
K
Klinikum Krefeld, Krefeld, Germany.
Nau
R
R
Bossink
A
A
Greiffendorf
I
I
Jentsch
M
M
Ernst
M
M
Thijsen
S
S
Hinks
T
T
Lalvani
A
A
Lange
C
C
D000328:Adult; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016862:Tuberculoma, Intracranial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D020306:Tuberculosis, Central Nervous System / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D014390:Tuberculosis, Meningeal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology
D007371:Interferon-gamma