title: Western blotting is an efficient tool for differential diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis and pulmonary tuberculosis.
abstract: Sputum and sera from 134 patients screened for tuberculosis (TB) were analyzed to investigate TB and paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). Of these patients, 11 (8.2%) were confirmed to have TB, but six (4.5%) were positive only for PCM. All patients with PCM presented anti-43-kDa-component antibodies in Western blotting (WB) assays, while in the TB-positive patients these antibodies did not appear. This preliminary study suggests WB as a potential tool for differential laboratory diagnosis between TB and PCM.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Department of Clinical Analysis, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thâmara Aline
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Bertoni
authors.forename: Maysa Cláudia Zolin
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Perenha-Viana
authors.forename: Eliana Valéria
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Patussi
authors.forename: Rosilene Fressatti
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Terezinha Inez Estivalet
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Svidzinski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010229:Paracoccidioidomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D044967:Serum / Q000276:immunology; D013183:Sputum / Q000276:immunology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal