Tuberculosis is an important health problem in developing countries and the BCG vaccine plays an important part in preventing the disease. There are different reports about the preventive value of BCG. Some of them claim that it is satisfactory while others suggest that it provides little protection. There are also varying ideas about the optimum time to vaccinate babies, some studies suggestin...

INTRODUCTION Among HIV-1-infected patients, CD4+ T cell counts are well-established markers of cell-mediated immunity. Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin tests can be used to evaluate in vivo cell-mediated immunity to common antigens. METHODS DTH responses to tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD), sporotrichin, trichophytin, candidin and streptokinase/streptodornase antigens were...

Evaluation of a western blot serum test for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. E. Rovatti, M.P. Corradi, M. Amicosante, P.L. Tartoni, W. Panini, A. Ancora, A.M. Cenci, L. Zucchi, L. Monno, G. Angarano, C. Saltini. ERS Journals Ltd 1996. ABSTRACT: This study was designed to evaluate the possibility of monitoring Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection using a serological assay....

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is associated with the activation of cytokine circuits both at sites of active tuberculosis in vivo and in cultures of mononuclear cells stimulated by M. tuberculosis or its components in vitro. Interactive stimulatory and/or inhibitory pathways are established between cytokines, which may result in potentiation or attenuation of the effects of each molecule on T-cell...

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of positive purified protein derivative (PPD) skin test in those infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and to investigate its association with CD4-positive T cell count, demographic factors, and possible routes of transmission in Iran. METHODS Fifty-one (36 males and 15 females) patients from an HIV clinic were s...

Sir, Sarcoidosis is a chronic multi-system disease of unknown origin involving the eyes, skin, lungs, heart, bones and nerves. Skin lesions are relatively common, and are classified as either specific or non-specific (1). Specific lesions are those that show the typical sarcoid granulomas, including lupus pernio, infiltrated plaques, maculopapular eruptions, subcutaneous nodules and infiltratio...

It is shown in a large number of experiments that short ragweed extract, mixed-grass pollen extract, and pu.rified protein derivative (PPD) can produce very substantial tritiated thymidine uptake and lymphocyte blast transformation of peripheral blood leukocytes from normal individuals. Cord blood lymphocytes were also stimulated by pollen extracts. Differing conditions of culture probably expl...

BACKGROUND New tools are required to improve tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment, including enhanced ability to compare new treatment strategies. The ELISPOT assay uses Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific antigens to produce a precise quantitative readout of the immune response to pathogen. We hypothesized that TB patients in The Gambia would have reduced ELISPOT counts after successful t...