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Infection and Immunity, November 1999, p. 5967-5971, Vol. 67, No. 11
Armauer Hansen Research Institute,
Received 12 April 1999/Returned for modification 27 May
1999/Accepted 26 August 1999
We examined the immune responses of patients with active pulmonary
tuberculosis (TB) and their healthy household contacts to short-term
culture filtrate (ST-CF) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis or
molecular mass fractions derived from it. Our goal was to identify fractions strongly recognized by donors and differences among the donor
groups of possible relevance for vaccine development. The study
population consisted of 65 human immunodeficiency virus-negative donors
from the Hossana Regional Hospital, Hossana, Ethiopia. Peripheral blood
leukocytes from the donors were stimulated with different antigens and
immune responses were determined. Household contacts produced
significantly higher levels of gamma interferon (IFN-
0019-9567/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
T-Cell Recognition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Culture Filtrate Fractions in Tuberculosis Patients and Their
Household Contacts
) than the TB
patients in response to antigens present in ST-CF and the 10 narrow-molecular-mass fractions. A similar difference in leukocyte
proliferative responses to the antigens between the two groups was also
found. In general, while all fractions stimulated immune responses, the
highest activity was seen with the low-molecular-mass fractions, which
include well-defined TB antigens such as ESAT-6. Leukocytes from
contacts of TB patients with severe disease produced higher levels of
antigen-specific IFN-
than those from contacts of patients with
minimal disease. Both groups of contacts exhibited higher cell-mediated
responses than the patients themselves. The enhanced immune response of
healthy contacts, especially those of patients with severe disease, to
secreted mycobacterial antigens is suggestive of an early stage of
infection by M. tuberculosis, which could in time result in
overt disease or containment of the infection. This possibility is
currently being investigated by follow-up studies of the household contacts.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Statens
Seruminstitut, 5 Artillerivej, Copenhagen 2300 S, Denmark.
Phone: 45 3268 3844. Fax: 45 3268 3035. E-mail: PA{at}ssi.dk.
Infection and Immunity, November 1999, p. 5967-5971, Vol. 67, No. 11
0019-9567/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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