[Immunodiagnosis and biomarkers in tuberculosis].
Based on the tuberculin skin test it is estimated that latent tuberculosis infection is present in one-third of the world's population. The new strategies in public health and research are aimed to reduce and eradicate this enormous reservoir. However, the absence of effective biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment of latent tuberculosis limits the development of new drugs and vaccines. Some components are present in both, the PPD (used in the tuberculin skin test) and the BCG vaccine. This increases the number of false positives in vaccinated individuals. Nowadays, there is not an immune diagnostic method that can differentiate latent tuberculosis and tuberculosis disease. New studies have addressed some strategies including specific antibodies, new cytokines and / or antigens as candidates for biomarkers. However, the high costs of these studies, the low number of participants and their different methodology make difficult a future meta-analysis and more conclusive results.
Center for Molecular Microbiology and Infection and Division of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom. hguio@imperial.ac.uk
Heinner
H
Guio
Cristina
C
Vilaplana
Pere-Joan
PJ
Cardona
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007159:Immunologic Tests / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012307:Risk Factors; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D015415:Biomarkers; D007371:Interferon-gamma