Numbers of IFN-gamma-producing cells against ESAT-6 increase in tuberculosis patients during chemotherapy

ESAT-6 is a specific Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex antigen and strong inducer of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by T cells from tuberculosis patient T-cells. We studied the frequency of IFN-gamma producing cells reacting to ESAT-6 during anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. The numbers of IFN-gamma producing cells in the peripheral blood were higher in tuberculosis patients after discharge from specific anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy, compared with untreated patients. These results indicate that monitoring specific M. tuberculosis antigen reactivity during anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy may avoid premature termination of treatment and resistant strains.