CD27 expression of T-cells discriminates IGRA-negative TB patients from healthy contacts in Ghana

Publication date: Available online 12 August 2019Source: Microbes and InfectionAuthor(s): Ernest Adankwah, Alptekin Güler, Ertan Mayatepek, Richard Odame Phillips, Norman Nausch, Marc JacobsenAbstractIFN-γ release assays (IGRAs) have suboptimal sensitivity for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection and cannot discriminate between tuberculosis (TB) patients and healthy -potentially Mtb infected-contacts (HCs). In a case-control study we determined T-cell phenotypes of IGRAs in TB patients (n=20) and HCs (n=20) from Ghana. CD27 expression of T-cells was significantly lower in TB patients as compared to HCs independent from Mtb-specificity. CD27 expression discriminated both study groups - including TB patients with low or indeterminate IGRA results - effectively. We conclude that CD27 is a promising biomarker for diagnosis of TB patients with inconclusive IGRA results.
Source: Microbes and Infection - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research