Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences

Published by : PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL PUBLICATIONS

ISSN 1681-715X

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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Volume 21

October December 2005

Number 4


 

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Investigation of the Level of IgG, IgM and IgA
Antibodies against A60 Antigen in Tuberculosis
Patients referred to PHLS, Ahvaz, Iran

Azar D. Khosravi, Roya Torabizadeh & Abdulamir Landi

ABSTRACT:

Objective: Evaluation of ELISA test using A60 antigen of mycobacteria in rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis in early stage.

Study: A cross sectional descriptive study

Place and duration of study: TB Reference Centre, PHLS, and Department of Microbiology, Ahvaz, Iran, from January 2000 to December 2001.

Patients and Methods: A total of 180 sera were examined. It consisted of 90 sera which belonged

to patients with clinical and radiological signs and microscopic examination of sputum for acid fast bacilli, suggesting active tuberculosis, who were referred to TB Reference Centre, PHLS, Ahvaz and 90 sera belonged to healthy subjects. ELISA test was used to determine the IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies activity against the A60 specific antigen of mycobacteria.

Results: Antibody levels were raised in both tuberculosis and non-tuberculosis patients, BCG vaccinated or non-vaccinated group, however, the antibodies, especially IgG and IgA were much higher in tuberculosis patients compared to healthy subjects.There was no relationship between antibody titer and sex or previous BCG vaccination, but the relevance with age and the degree of smear positivity was significant. The levels of IgG and IgA were higher in patients under 50 years old and patients with 3+ sputum smear had significant increased IgG titer. Besides, the IgG and IgA levels were higher in culture positive patients compared to those with a negative culture result and was statistically significant. The level of IgM was slightly higher in patients with no history of TB in the last few years, but in the rest of the patients, the raised IgM level was not significant.

Conclusion: The ELISA using A60 antigen can not alone represent active tuberculosis at early stage, but it may facilitate to asses the active disease, when combined by clinical evaluation and other laboratory diagnostic tests.

Key words: M. tuberculosis, ELISA, Antibody level, A60 antigen

Pak J Med Sci October-December 2005 Vol. 21 No. 4 465-469

Correspondence:
Dr. Azar D. Khosravi
Department of Microbiology,
School of Medicine & Infectious and
Tropical Diseases Research Center,
Ahvaz Jundi Shapur University of Medical Sciences,
Ahvaz, Iran
E-Mail: khosraviaz@yahoo.com


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