Predictors of unfavorable responses to therapy in rifampicin-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis using an integrated approach of radiological presentation and sputum mycobacterial burden.

Introduction: Despite the exalted status of sputum mycobacterial load for gauging pulmonary tuberculosis treatment and progress, Chest X-rays supplement valuable information for taking instantaneous therapeutic decisions, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though literature on individual parameters is overwhelming, few studies have explored the interaction between radiographic parameters denoting severity with mycobacterial burden signifying infectivity. By using a sophisticated approach of integrating Chest X-ray parameters with sputum mycobacterial characteristics, evaluated at all the three crucial time points of TB treatment namely pre-treatment, end of intensive phase and completion of treatment, utilizing the interactive Cox Proportional Hazards model, we aimed to precisely deduce predictors of unfavorable response to TB treatment.

Interferon gamma and interferon gamma inducible protein-10 in detecting tuberculosis infection.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the levels of TB-antigen specific Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and IFN-γ inducible protein (IP)-10 in culture of whole blood samples from healthy controls (HC) and healthy household contacts (HHC).

Methodology: A total of 386 study subjects, which included 186 HC and 200 HHC, were recruited. QuantiFERON-TB Gold in-tube (QFT-IT) assay was employed to measure IFN-γ levels.

Role of interferon gamma release assay in active TB diagnosis among HIV infected individuals.

Background: A rapid and specific test is urgently needed for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis especially among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals. In this study, we assessed the sensitivity of Interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) in active tuberculosis patients who were positive for HIV infection and compared it with that of tuberculin skin test (TST).

Methodology/principal Findings: A total of 105 HIV-TB patients who were naïve for anti tuberculosis and anti retroviral therapy were included for this study out of which 53 (50%) were culture positive.