Evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using an IgG antibody to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen 5 in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis in children.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen 5 has been evaluated as a serodiagnostic test for active tuberculosis in children. Forty children of either sex, ages 1 to 14 yr, were studied, including 21 bacteriologically confirmed tuberculous patients and 19 control subjects who were evaluated for tuberculosis and found to be free of disease. At a 1:20 dilution, the test showed a sensitivity of 0.857 and a specificity of 1.000, with an accuracy value of 0.925, a positive predictive value of 1.000, and a negative predictive value of 0.864. The prevalence of disease calculated directly from the data of the study was found to be of 0.525. The geometric mean ELISA titer of the tuberculosis group was 1:58, and the difference in antibody titers between patient and control groups was found to be statistically significant (p less than 0.001). From our results, we conclude that ELISA using M. tuberculosis antigen 5 may be useful in those situations of high prevalence of disease when children suspected of tuberculosis are being evaluated.

[South American blastomycosis. Apropos of new cases]. / Blastomycose sud-américaine. A propos de nouvelles observations.

Twenty-seven cases of South American blastomycosis are reported. Pulmonary lesions predominate and the diagnosis rests on the findings of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in sputum and tissues. Serological examinations (complement fixation and immunodiffusion) are also useful. Treatment includes sulphonamides, imidazole derivatives and, in cases resistant to these drugs, Amphotericin B. Surgery is limited to abscesses, bone lesions and bronchial stenoses.

Resultados del tratamiento planificado de la tuberculosis en condiciones de rutina con un esquema terapeutico que incluye isoniacida, rifampicina y estreptomicina. / Results of planned tuberculosis treatment in routine conditions with a therapeutic schedule that includes isoniazid, rifampin and streptomycin

Se estudiaron 225 enfermos con diferentes formas de tuberculosis pulmonar y extrapulmonar, desde el 1o. de junio de 1979 hasta el 31 de diciembre de 1980, todos ellos virgenes de tratamiento y con enfermedad confirmada por baciloscopia, cultivo o biopsia con estudio histopatologico