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Updated: Oct 4, 2026

Enzyme-linked Immunospot Assay (ELISPOT): Quantification of Th-1 Cellular Immune Responses Against Microbial Antigens
Published on: November 23, 2010
Tuberculosis contacts but not patients have higher gamma interferon responses to ESAT-6 than do community controls in
J Vekemans1, C Lienhardt, J S Sillah
1Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, The Gambia. Johan.Vekemans@ulb.ac.be
Abstract:
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen ESAT-6 has been proposed for tuberculosis immunodiagnosis. In The Gambia, 30% of community controls produced gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) in response to ESAT-6. Increased proportions of responders and intensities of responses were found in household contacts. Responses that were initially low in tuberculosis patients increased after treatment. An ESAT-6 IFN-gamma assay will be of limited use in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in countries where tuberculosis is endemic. Its role in contact tracing should be evaluated further.
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