Kinetics of MTB-specific immuneresponses in treated subjects with active tuberculosis and untreated contacts with LTBI

Background: Little is known on the kinetics of Interferon gamma releasing assays. We describe the kinetic of immuneresponses against ESAT-6 antigen in patients treated for active TB and close contacts who are not treated for LTBI. Methods: Elispot results for ESAT-6 were recorded both before and after treatment in patients with active (group 1) and in close contacts of a case with smear positive tuberculosis who developed ESAT-6 specific immune responses without signs of active TB and who were not treated against LTBI (group 2). Data for patients with any positive test result were compared in a binomial manner a…