The Indian Journal of Tuberculosis - LRS Institute of Tuberculosis ...

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ABSTRACTS
and 3, the number of likely effective agents under
six possible retreatment regimen scenarios was
estimated. Resistance to second-line drugs was
significantly higher in groups with more previous
courses of treatment. A few retreatment regimens
could be identified that would allow at least 80% of
patients to receive at least four likely effective drugs.
Because it is associated with resistance frequencies,
previous treatment exposure can serve to guide the
design of non-individualized MDR- TB regimens.
Comparison of Mantoux skin test with three
generations of a whole blood IFN-γ assay for
tuberculosis infection.
H. Mahomed et al. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2006;
10(3): 310-316.
Objective was to compare the performance
of QuantiFERON assays with the tuberculin skin test
(TST) for identifying latent tuberculosis infection
(LTBI) in a high TB burden community. In a crosssectional
study in healthy adults, we applied the TST
and took blood for the three generations of
QuantiFERON assays. Of 358 participants whose
results were analysed, 291 (81%) had a TST result
of > 10 mm induration, and 187 (52%) >15 mm.
QuantiFERON-TB was positive in 215 (60%),
QuantiFERON-TB Gold in 137 (38%), and
QuantiFERON-TB Gold (In-Tube method) in 201
(56%). There was poor agreement between TST
and QuantiFERON tests, and between the different
generations of QuantiFERON tests (K = 0.12-0.50).
Of the subset with TST indurations >15 mm, 30-
56% had negative QuantiFERON tests. However,
positive QuantiFERON tests were associated with
males, who have a higher incidence of TB in this
area. We showed poor agreement between TST and
the different QuantiFERON tests in diagnosing LTBI.
The surprising discordance between the Quanti-
FERON TB Gold and QuantiFERON TB Gold (In
Tube method) tests needs to be investigated further.
Efficacy of intra-muscular BCG polysaccharide
nucleotide on mild to moderate bronchial asthma
accompanied with allergic rhinitis.
L.I. Jing et al. Chinese Medical Journal 2005;
118(19): 1595-1603.
Atopy is a state of allergy to common
antigens and is founded on an immune disturbance
of exuberant Th2 activity and IgE production. There
is also epidemiological and experimental evidence
that exposure to mycobacteria has the potential to
suppress the development of asthma or atopy. Since
Th1 and Th2 immune mechanisms are significantly
antagonistic, it is hypothesized that mycobacterial
exposure may moderate atopic disease by
modification of immune responses. One hundred and
twenty mild to moderate persistent asthmatics
accompanied with allergic rhinitis were randomly
divided into four groups with one injection every
other day for 18 times for group A with 1 ml of
normal saline, B with 0.5 mg of Bacillus Calmette-
Guerin polysaccharide nucleotide (BCG- PSN) and
C with 1 mg of BCG-PSN, 36 times for group D
with 0.5 mg of BCG-PSN. Markers for the severity
of asthma and rhinitis including the amount of inhaled
corticosteriod, bronchodilator and oral H 1
biockerioratidine
being used to obtain optimal symptomatic
control, symptom scores of asthma and allergic
rhinitis, peak expiratory flow (PEF), histamine
provocative dose that produces at least a 20% change
in forced expiratory volume with in 1 second ( PD 20
-FEV 1
) , blood IgE levels as well as dermatophagoides
pteronysinus (DP) and dermatophagoides farinae
(DF) skin prick test were measured every visit for 6
months. There were no differences for symptom
scores of asthma, daily use of bronchodilator, PEF,
PD 20
- FEY 1
blood IgE as well as DF and DP skin
prick test among the four groups. Score for allergic
rhinitis decreased significantly in groups B, C and D
on day 36 and 72 as compared with group A (P <
0.05 ). Score for allergic rhinitis increased after day
72 in group B and C while it was significantly lower
in group D (P < 0.05) . The patients in group D
used less amount of inhaled beclomethosone than
other groups (P < 0.05) from day 72 after the
treatment to day 180. Oral loratadine consumption
in groups B, C and D was significantly less on
day 36 and 72 as compared with their baseline and
group A after the treatment (P < 0.05). Group D
maintained significantly lower dosage of oral
loratadine until day 150 comparing with its baseline
and group A. BCG-PSN has a symptomatic effect
on allergic rhinitis. BCG-PSN may reduce the
dosage of non- sedative H 1
blocker loratadine as
well as the dosage of inhaled beclomethosone in
Indian Journal of Tuberculosis