       Document 0509
 DOCN  M9550509
 TI    Development of a serological test for tuberculosis. Problems and
       potential.
 DT    9505
 AU    Verbon A; Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Centre,;
       Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
 SO    Trop Geogr Med. 1994;46(5):275-9. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95159214
 AB    The secreted antigens of 24K and 38K and the hsp of 12K and 16K are
       valuable as reagents in a serodiagnostic assay for tuberculosis. A
       combination of the TB72 assay with either the 16K or 24K antigen gives
       the best sensitivity and specificity. Antigens isolated from
       mycobacterial cultures are valuable in a serological test. Peptides
       cannot be used as antigens. The value of antigens obtained with
       recombinant DNA techniques remains to be determined. In HIV-seronegative
       patients with TB serodiagnosis is a valuable test both in pulmonary and
       extrapulmonary TB. Unfortunately, the results in HIV-seropositive
       patients are rather disappointing. The use of likelihood ratios seems to
       increase the potential of serodiagnostic assays. The value of
       serodiagnosis should be judged in context with other diagnostic methods
       such as direct microscopy, bacteriological culture or skin tests. A
       serological test is especially valuable in cases where direct
       microscopy, polymerase chain reaction or skin testing is negative and
       allows antituberculous therapy to be started before results of culture
       are known.
 DE    Antigens, Bacterial/DIAGNOSTIC USE  Heat-Shock Proteins/ISOLATION &
       PURIF  Human  Serodiagnosis/*METHODS  Tuberculosis,
       Pulmonary/*DIAGNOSIS/IMMUNOLOGY  JOURNAL ARTICLE  REVIEW  REVIEW,
       TUTORIAL

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

