Recognition of CD8+ T cell Epitopes to Identify Adults with Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB), the disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Current tools to identify Mtb-infected individuals, specifically interferon-gamma-release-assays (IGRAs) and the Tuberculin-skin test (TST), cannot distinguish between asymptomatic Mtb-infected individuals (latent Mtb infection/LTBI) and those with TB [1]. Advancement of TB diagnostics and their application in TB-endemic settings requires an assay that distinguishes between individuals with LTBI and TB. In this pilot study, we compared the ability of three CD8+ T cell-based assays to distinguish Ugandan adults with: confirmed pulmonary TB (HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected), LTBI (HIV-uninfected only), and those who are TST-negative (HIV-uninfected only). Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the European Respiratory Journal . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJ online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of interest: Dr. Lancioni has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Mayanja-Kizza has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Heaphy has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Nyendak reports other from ViTi, Inc., outside the submitted work; Required language from OHSU: OHSU and Drs. David Lewinsohn, Deborah Lewinsohn, and Melissa Nyendak have a financial interest in, and Ms. Cansler, Ms. Null, and Ms. Swarbrick are employees of, ViTi, a company that may have a commercial interest in the results of this research and technology. These potential individual and institutional conflicts of interest have been reviewed and managed by OHSU. Conflict of interest: Ms. Malone has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. NSEREKO has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Ms. Null reports other from Viti, Inc, outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: Dr. Park has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Mrs. Swarbrick reports other from ViTi, inc, outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: Ms. Duncan has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Boom reports grants from NIH/NIAID, during the conduct of the study. Conflict of interest: Automatically generated: Dr. Lewinsohn reports grants from NIH, grants from NIH, other from Pape Family Research Institute, during the conduct of the study; other from ViTi Inc., outside the submitted work. Required language from OHSU: OHSU and Drs. David Lewinsohn, Deborah Lewinsohn, and Melissa Nyendak have a financial interest in, and Ms. Cansler, Ms. Null, and Ms. Swarbrick are employees of, ViTi, a company that may have a commercial interest in the results of this research and technology. These potential individual and institutional conflicts of interest have been reviewed and managed by OHSU. Conflict of interest: Ms. Baseke has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Mr. Chervenak has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Ms. Cansler reports other from Viti, Inc, outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: Automatically generated: Dr. Lewinsohn reports grants from NIH, grants from NIH, other from Pape Family Research Institute, during the conduct of the study; other from ViTi Inc., outside the submitted work. Required language from OHSU: OHSU and Drs. David Lewinsohn, Deborah Lewinsohn, and Melissa Nyendak have a financial interest in, and Ms. Cansler, Ms. Null, and Ms. Swarbrick are employees of, ViTi, a company that may have a commercial interest in the results of this research and technology. These potential individual and institutional conflicts of interest have been reviewed and managed by OHSU.