Use Of Enzyme Linked Immunospot Assay (Elispot) For Monitoring Treatment Response Of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients

Monitoring the efficacy of antituberculosis therapy is crucial both for better control of the spread of tuberculosis. Currently, there is no available test for monitoring the clinical effect of active TB disease treatment. Quantitative changes in immune response to mycobacterium TB measured by Elispot assay offer promise as biomarkers to monitor TB drug therapy.MethodsWe studied 30 patients with microbiologically confirmed TB, both at time of diagnosis and two months after they started therapy, using an in vitro assay that detects T-cell mediated interferon- response to selected peptide of mycobacterium TB-specific early secretory antigenic target (ESAT-6) using Elispot assay.ResultsWe found that the median INF- Elispot response to ESAT-6 was significantly decreased after two months of antituberculosis therapy (P< 0.05).ConclusionsThe present study suggested that the decrease in the mycobacterium TB-specific T-cells responses follow successful antituberculosis therapy may have a clinical value as a supplemental tool for the monitoring treatment response of pulmonary tuberculosis patients.