Levels of complement C3 and C4 components in Amerindians living in an area with high prevalence of tuberculosis.

The levels of complement C3 and C4 components were determined in non-indigenous (creoles) and indigenous (Warao) populations, the latter with an extremely high tuberculosis (TB) rate. Serum samples from 209 adults were studied and classified in 4 groups taking into account tuberculin skin tests (TST): (1) the group of Warao patients (58 positive for the TST, WP TST+ and 9 negative for the TST, WP TST-), (2) the group of creole patients (34 positive for the TST, CP TST+ and 9 negative for the TST, CP TST-), (3) the group of healthy Warao controls (38 positive and 14 negative for TST, WC TST+ and WC TST-, respectively), (4) the creole controls (26 positive and 21 negative for the TST, CC TST+ and CC TST-, respectively). With respect to the results concerning the measurement of both complement C3 and C4 components with the exception of the WC TST and the CC groups, the WP TST+ and WP TST- as well as WC TST+ groups showed a significant frequency of individuals with decreased levels of complement C3 component (20.

[Study of immune response in Warao children from communities with high tuberculosis prevalence].

The present study was carried out in a Warao childhood population with extremely high tuberculosis (TB) rate of 3190/100,000 in 0-15 years old children. One hundred seven serum and saliva samples were tested, 32 from patients with active TB (27 positive and 5 negative for the tuberculin skin test, TST) and 75 apparently healthy contact children (45 positive and 30 negative for the TST). The innate, immunoglobulin and cellular responses were studied.