Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease in patients without HIV infection: a retrospective analysis over 3 years.

Introduction: Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung infections are relatively common in immunocompromised patients but are now increasingly being diagnosed in immunocompetent individuals. These organisms are not always pathogenic bacteria when isolated from human samples. The identification of which isolates are contaminants or colonizers is based on internationally accepted criteria.

Limited usefulness of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube for monitoring anti-tuberculosis therapy.

The usefulness of IFN-gamma release assays to monitor the efficacy of anti-tuberculosis (TB) treatment is controversial. Sixty patients affected by culture-confirmed pulmonary TB (M = 36; mean age: 39.2 yr; Italians = 28) were serially tested in a low prevalence setting by means of QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In-Tube (QFT-IT) at baseline and after a successful six-month therapy regimen (T6).

Role played by human mannose-binding lectin polymorphisms in pulmonary tuberculosis.

Background: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) activates the complement system in an antibody-independent manner, enhances complement-mediated phagocytosis, and plays a major role in the regulation of inflammatory cytokine release by monocytes.

Methods: Case patients (277 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis) and control subjects (288 household contacts) were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for polymorphisms at the promoter and the exon 1 regions of the MBL gene. Diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, based on findings from chest radiography and sputum smear examination, was confirmed by PCR and bacteriological tests.