title: Interferon-gamma release assay in the ascites: Early hint for diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis.
abstract: We report on a 20-year-old woman with abdominal tuberculosis.Standard microbiological examination of ascites showed no acid-fast bacilli (AFB), and analysis for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-complex DNA by PCR was negative. However,the interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) of the ascites was positive after specific stimulation with mycobacterial antigens(ESAT-6/CFP-10/TB7.7[p4]), indicating an infection with MTB.The diagnosis of tuberculosis was later confirmed by histology, MTB culture, and PCR analysis of MTB-complex DNA in tissue samples taken during laparoscopy. Thus, the IGRA of ascites may guide the decision to start active treatment for tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Germany. Richard.Lorenz@uniklinik-ulm.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Würl
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haerter
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cammerer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hausladen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stenger
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kern
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001201:Ascites / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007371:Interferon-gamma