The Open Pathology Journal

2008, 2 : 53-56
Published online 2008 April 29. DOI: 10.2174/1874375700802010053
Publisher ID: TOPATJ-2-53

TST-Negative Individuals Do Not Lack Anti-Mycobacterial Responsiveness

Aurélie Godel , Pascale Peyron , Marie-Pierre Puissegur , Puissegur Botanch , Bruno Payre , Sarah Khatibi , Patrice Massip , Bruno Marchou and Frédéric Altare
Department “Molecular Mechanisms of Mycobacterial Infections”, Team “Molecular Physiology of Mycobacterial Granulomas”, IPBS-CNRS UMR5089, 205, route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse cedex, France.

ABSTRACT

Tuberculin-skin-test (TST) is widely used for the diagnosis of Tuberculosis. Negative TSTs are occasionally found in individuals vaccinated or infected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We show that false negative results are due to a lack of the Tuberculin-specific immune response as replacing tuberculin by unselected M. tuberculosis antigens improved the efficiency of the assay.