RATIONALE Healthy household contacts (HHC) of individuals with Tuberculosis (TB) with Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) conversions are considered to harbor latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), and at risk for TB. The immunologic, clinical, and public health implications of TST reversions that occur following Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) remain controversial. OBJECTIVES To measure frequenc...

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and helminth infections elicit antagonistic immune effector functions and are co-endemic in several regions of the world. We therefore hypothesized that helminth infection may influence Mtb-specific T-cell immune responses. We evaluated the cytokine profile of Mtb-specific T cells in 72 individuals with pulmonary TB disease recruited from two Sub-Saharan regions...

Previous studies in mice and humans models have suggested an important role for CD8+ T cells in host defense to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). In humans, CD8+ Mtb-reactive T cells have been described that are HLA-A2-, B52-, as well as CD1-restricted. Recently, we have described Mtb-specific CD8+ T cells that are neither HLA-A-, B-, or C- nor group 1 CD1-restricted. At present, little is know...

Silencing of interleukin-32 (IL-32) in a differentiated human promonocytic cell line impairs killing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) but the role of IL-32 in vivo against MTB remains unknown. To study the effects of IL-32 in vivo, a transgenic mouse was generated in which the human IL-32γ gene is expressed using the surfactant protein C promoter (SPC-IL-32γTg). Wild-type and SPC-IL-32γTg mi...

Background: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods from direct specimen are widely used for the rapid and accurate detection of mycobacteria infection. In this study, we evaluated two domestically developed detection kits for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) using real-time PCR. Methods: A total of 348 samples from patients with suspected tuberculosis were...

The infectious life cycle of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), as it relates to the disease tuberculosis (TB) in humans, begins from release of the bacilli in fine aerosol particles when an individual with active TB coughs or sneezes. When these bacilli are inhaled and reach the alveolar spaces of the lungs, they are ingested by phagocytic cells, primarily the macrophages. It is within the macr...

The global evolution and spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), one of the most successful bacterial pathogens, remain a mystery. Advances in molecular technology in the past decade now make it possible to understand MTB strain evolution and transmission in the context of human population migration. Taiwan is a relatively isolated island, serving as a mixing vessel over the past four centu...

With interest, we read the paper “Integrating the Xpert MTB/ RIF Assay into a Diagnostic Workflow for Rapid Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a Low-Prevalence Area” by Deggim et al. (1). Based on the failed detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) by the Xpert assay (GeneXpert; Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA) in 3 of 4 culture-positive nonrespiratory specimens, the authors conclud...

BACKGROUND Childhood tuberculosis (TB) is usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) culture negative. Furthermore, clinical presentation may be altered by active case finding, isoniazid prophylaxis and early treatment. We aimed to establish the value of presenting symptoms for intrathoracic TB case diagnosis among young children. METHODS Healthy, HIV-uninfected, South African infants in an eff...

BACKGROUND Xpert MTB/RIF has been shown to have a superior sensitivity to microscopy for acid fast bacilli (AFB) in sputum and has been recommended as a standard first line investigation for pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Bronchoscopy is a valuable tool in diagnosing PTB in sputum negative patients. There is limited data on the utility of Xpert MTB/RIF performed on bronchial lavage specimens. Ou...