Immune correlates of acute Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in household contacts in Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

To determine immunologic and epidemiologic correlates of acute Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in household contacts of infectious tuberculosis cases, we performed a prospective, community-based cohort study of index cases and their household contacts in Kampala, Uganda. Contacts were evaluated for tuberculin skin test (TST) conversion over two years. Interferon-γ expression was measured using a whole blood assay after stimulating with M. tuberculosis culture-filtrate. In 222 contacts with a TST less than 5 mm at baseline, the one-year rate of TST conversion was 27%. The TST conversion was associated with the infectiousness of the index case and proximity of contact. Interferon-γ levels at baseline were greater among TST converters compared with those who did not convert. The risk of TST conversion increased four-fold as the baseline interferon-γ increased 10-fold, but only in contacts with BCG vaccination. In household contacts of tuberculosis, interferon-γ responses to non-specific mycobacterial antigens may be used to make an early diagnosis of tuberculosis infection, especially in resource-limited settings where bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination is commonly used. Copyright © 2006 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.