Rapid diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis by enumeration of MTB-specific cells from pleural effusions

Aims: The diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis is difficult as the results of acid-fast-bacilli stains, mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) cultures and MTB-specific nucleic-acid amplifications are non diagnostic in most cases. As antigen specific T- cells expand and are recruited to the site of infection in active tuberculosis, we investigated whether enumeration of MTB-specific mononuclear cells from the pleural effusion can rapidly establish the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis. Material and Methods: Patients who presented with pleural effusions of unknown origin to the Dept. of Respiratory Medicine, University…