Whole Blood Interferon-Gamma Responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis Antigens in Young Household Contacts of Persons with Tuberculosis in Uganda
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Date
2008
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Plos one
Abstract
Background: Due to immunologic immaturity, IFN-c-producing T cell responses may be decreased in young children
compared to adults, thus we hypothesized that IFN-c responses to mycobacterial antigens in household contacts exposed
to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) would be impaired in young children relative to adults. The objective of this study was
to compare whole blood IFN-c production in response to mycobacterial antigens between children and adults in Uganda.
Methodology/Principal Findings: We studied household contacts of persons with culture-positive pulmonary tuberculosis
(TB) enrolled in a cohort study conducted in Kampala, Uganda. Whole blood IFN-c production in response to Mtb culturefiltrate
antigens was measured by ELISA and compared between infants (,2 years old, n = 80), young children (2 ,5 years
old, n = 216), older children (5 ,15 years old, n = 443) and adults ($15 years old, n = 528). We evaluated the relationship
between IFN-c responses and the tuberculin skin test (TST), and between IFN-c responses and epidemiologic factors that
reflect exposure to Mtb, and the effect of prior BCG vaccination on IFN-c responses. Young household contacts
demonstrated robust IFN-c responses comparable to those of adults that were associated with TST and known risk factors
for infection. There was no effect of prior BCG immunization on the IFN-c response.
Conclusions/Significance: Young children in a TB endemic setting can mount robust IFN-c responses generally comparable to
those of adults, and as in adults, these responses correlated with the TST and known epidemiologic risk factors forMtb infection.
Description
Keywords
Blood Interferon, Gamma Responses, tuberculosis, Antigens
Citation
Citation: Lewinsohn DA, Zalwango S, Stein CM, Mayanja-Kizza H, Okwera A, et al. (2008) Whole Blood Interferon-Gamma Responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis Antigens in Young Household Contacts of Persons with Tuberculosis in Uganda. PLoS ONE 3(10): e3407. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003407