Increased IgG1, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-6 responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens in patients with tuberculosis are lower after chemotherapy.

Detection of specific antibodies may represent an additional tool in diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). Herein, levels of serum IgG antibodies against early secreted antigenic target (ESAT-6), culture filtrate antigen-10 (CFP-10) and 16 kDa Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens were measured in 33 active pulmonary TB patients (0M-TB), in 47 patients after 1-3 months of treatment (3M-TB) and in 22 patients who had completed 6 months of chemotherapy (6M-TB). The control group consisted of 38 BCG-vaccinated healthy controls (HC).