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Updated: Jul 28, 2026
Determining the Phagocytic Activity of Clinical Antibody Samples
Published on: November 30, 2011
[New capacities of the phagocytic test used in pediatric phthisiology]
Insights
Phagocytic activity of leukocytes (PAL) tests can aid in early diagnosis of tuberculosis infection. This study evaluated PAL in vaccinated children and those with tuberculous infection to assess diagnostic potential.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
Context:
- Tuberculosis remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating improved diagnostic tools.
- Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination is a primary method for preventing severe forms of tuberculosis in children.
- Phagocytic activity of leukocytes (PAL) plays a crucial role in the immune response against microbial infections.
Purpose:
- To investigate the utility of an improved phagocytic activity of leukocytes (PAL) assay for diagnosing tuberculous infection in children.
- To evaluate PAL in healthy BCG-vaccinated children and those with confirmed tuberculous infection at various post-immunization and infection stages.
- To assess the correlation between PAL patterns and different phases of infection (bacteremia, immune synthesis).
Summary:
- An enhanced PAL assay using differentiated sheep erythrocytes was employed in 98 healthy BCG-vaccinated children and 68 children with tuberculous infection.
- In vaccinated children, bacteremia was detected up to 9 months post-vaccination, while immune synthesis persisted for up to 3 years.
- The study demonstrated that a panel of phagocytic tests can effectively diagnose tuberculous infection early, evaluate disease progression, and assess antitubercular immunity.
Impact:
- This research highlights the potential of phagocytic tests as a valuable tool for the early and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis in pediatric populations.
- The findings suggest that PAL assessment can aid in monitoring the effectiveness of antitubercular treatments and evaluating the immune status of infected children.
- The improved PAL assay offers a promising method for differentiating infection phases, contributing to better clinical management of tuberculosis.
Abstract:
The paper presents the results of a study of the phagocytic activity of leukocytes (PAL) in 98 healthy children, vaccinated with BCG, in different periods after immunization and in 68 children with tuberculous infection (39 children with tuberculosis and 29 Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected children). An improved procedure for studying PAL was used, in which sheep erythrocytes of two types ("antigenic" and those with a complex of antigen + antibody + antigen), which may differentiate the phase of bacteremia and immune synthesis, were used as an object for phagocytes. In the limited number of vaccinated children, bacteremia were detectable up to 9 months; the phase of immune synthesis continued in most children up to 3 years. The study has demonstrated that a complex of phagocytic tests may be used for the early diagnosis of tuberculous infection, for the evaluation of a tuberculous process and antituberculous immunity.
