Enzyme immunoassay using BCG in serodiagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

Amounts of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antibodies were determined in sera from patients with either active or inactive tuberculosis and in healthy subjects by an immunoenzymatic assay in which whole BCG cells attached covalently to polystyrene disks were used as antigen. Statistically significant differences (P less than 0.005) were found both between the active and inactive tuberculosis groups and between the active group and healthy controls. No significant differences were found between the inactive group and controls. Since this procedure is efficient (91%) and can be used in areas which lack laboratory equipment, it appears promising for individual serodiagnosis and for epidemiological surveys.