Active Pulmonary TB Diagnosed by ELISPOT of BAL Fluid

The diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis (pTB) can be delayed, particularly if acid-fast bacilli (AFB) are not detected in sputum or bronchial secretions. One way to speed diagnosis is to examine the local immune response by enumerating bronchial cells that are producing interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens. Now, in a prospective study performed at two medical centers in Germany, researchers have used ELISPOT assays to test cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for their ability to produce IFN-γ in response to two such antigens, the peptides ESAT-1 and CFP-10. One of the researchers is a named inventor on several patents related to T-cell diagnosis.

Among the 37 patients suspected of having pTB…