Latent and subclinical tuberculosis in HIV infected patients: a cross-sectional study.

Background: HIV and tuberculosis (TB) are commonly associated. Identifying latent and asymptomatic tuberculosis infection in HIV-positive patients is important in preventing death and morbidity associated with active TB.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of one time use of an interferon-gamma release assay (T-SPOT.

1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 inhibits matrix metalloproteinases induced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) can degrade all components of pulmonary extracellular matrix. Mycobacterium tuberculosis induces production of a number of these enzymes by human macrophages, and these are implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary cavitation in tuberculosis. The active metabolite of vitamin D, 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)], has previously been reported to inhibit secretion of MMP-9 in human monocytes (MN), but its influence on the secretion and gene expression of MMP and tissue inhibitors of MMP (TIMP) in M.