Study of Immunoglobulin G subclasses to M.tb. Specific antigens in pulmonary tuberculosis patients with chemotherapy and their healthy house hold contact

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a growing health problem in the developing world. Elimination of tuberculosis (TB) largely depends upon definitive rapid diagnosis and treatment. Widely used diagnostic tests do not qualify for use in a developing country due to lack of either desired accuracy or their cost. In the present study an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to evaluate the diagnostic potential of an immuno-dominant 30/32-kDa mycolyl transferase complex (Ag85 complex). Studies of antibody response in TB have focused mainly on their usefulness as a diagnostic serological tool, with little attention given to analysis of antibodies at the isotype and subclass level in relation to disease pathogenesis. Study speculate that chemotherapy kills bacteria leading to release of a great amount of cytosolic antigens increasing specific antibody levels to antigen 85 complex antigens after the first term of treatment. One explanation might be large load of bacteria. The answer this question was obtained by our follow up study of patients with chemotherapy, and the observation that the cure of the disease restores the response to against 85 complex. Furthermore, the higher level of these antibodies with high bacillary load patients and in chronic cases of tuberculosis may provide valuable insight into their possible role in disease progression.