Rapid detection of active pulmonary tuberculosis by bronchoalveolar-lavage enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in an immunocompromized host

Immunocompromized patients with acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear negative active pulmonary tuberculosis (pTB) often present with non-specific clinical symptoms and findings. T-cell interferon-g release assays (TIGRA) performed on whole blood (ELISA) or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (ELISPOT) are more sensitive for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection than the tuberculin skin test (TST), but cannot distinguish active from latent infection with MTB (LTBI) when performed on blood alone. We report a 38-year-old woman presenting with a three-week history of malaise, dyspnoea, fevers and cough…