T-Cell Responses Against Mycobacterium ulcerans and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Protein Extracts Identify Children With Buruli Ulcer Disease

Abstract

Immune-based diagnosis of Buruli ulcer disease (BUD) in children is difficult due to cross-reactivity between mycobacteria. We found that T-cell IFNγ/TNFαresponses against Mycobacterium (M.) ulcerans and M. tuberculosis (PPDMulc, PPDMtub) were different between children with BUD (n=27) and TB (n=20) but only ratios (PPDMtub/PPDMulc) discriminated the study groups efficiently.