Plasma levels of interferon-inducible protein 10 in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis with different affected areas / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the value of interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) in the auxiliary diagnosis of tuberculosis and the judgment of the severity of disease.@*METHODS@#From February, 2013 to February, 2017, a total of 193 patients with TB admitted in our hospital and 84 healthy control subjects were recruited consecutively. The peripheral blood plasma levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and IP-10 were detected using liquid phase chip (Luminex) technique. According to the number of lung fields affected by TB, the patients were divided into group A (with lesions in 1-2 lung fields), group B (3-4 lung fields) and group C (5-6 lung fields), The expressions of IFN-γ and IP-10 in 3 groups were compared.@*RESULTS@#The plasma levels of IP-10 were significantly higher in TB patients than in the control subjects ( < 0.05), but IFN-γ levels were comparable between the two groups ( > 0.05). Among the TB patients, plasma IP-10 levels was the highest in group C ( < 0.05), and IFN-γ levels did not differ significantly among the 3 groups ( > 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Plasma IP-10 has a certain reference value in the auxiliary diagnosis of active tuberculosis and the judgment of the severity of the disease.

Distribution and drug-resistance of bacteria in the lower respiratory tract in patients with tuberculosis and severe pneumonia receiving invasive mechanical ventilation / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the distribution and drug-resistance of bacteria in the lower respiratory tract in patients with tuberculosis and severe pneumonia receiving invasive mechanical ventilation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data, lower respiratory tract infection pathogens and bacterial drug sensitivity were analyzed in 208 patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for tuberculosis and severe pneumonia.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 355 pathogenic microbial strains were obtained from the patients, among which 281 (79.2%) strains were Gram-negative bacteria, 62 (17.5%) were fungi, and 12 (3.4%) were Gram-positive bacteria. Mixed infections were found in 68 cases (19.2%). The sensitivity rates of meropenem, imipenem and amikacin were over 60% for Gram-negative bacteria, and those of teicoplanin, vancomycin, and fusidic acid were 100% for Gram-positive bacteria.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The main pathogenic bacteria are Gram-negative bacteria, fungi and Gram-positive bacteria in the lower respiratory tract of patients with tuberculosis and severe pneumonia receiving mechanical ventilation. Meropenem, imipenem and amikacin are effective antibiotics for lower respiratory tract infections, and multi-drug resistance is frequent in these patients, which urges appropriate use of the antibiotics.</p>

Phenotypic and functional characteristics of T cells in tuberculosis pleurisy / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To elucidate the phenotypic and functional characteristics of CD3+ CD4+ and CD3+ CD8+ T in pleural fluid of patients with tuberculous pleurisy.Methods:PBMCs and PFCs were isolated. The frequency of CD3+,CD3+ CD4+,CD3+ CD8+ T cells and the ratio of CD4/CD8 in PFCs were analyzed by FACS. The concentration of IFN-?,IL-2 and TNF-? in the pleural fluid were analyzed by ELISA.Production of IFN-?,IL-2 and TNF-? by CD3+ CD4+ and CD3+ CD8+ T cells was detected by FACS following stimulation with BCG.Results:Higher frequencies of CD3+ CD4+ T cells and CD4+ T/CD8+ T ratio were demonstrated in PFCs when compared with PBMCs from normal donors and TB patients.ELISA analysis demonstrated that significantly high levels of IFN-? and TNF-? were detected in pleural fluid.Further analysis by FACS indicated that IL-2,TNF-? and IFN-? were predominantly secreted by CD3+CD4+T cells but not by CD3+ CD8+ T cells.Conclusion:The frequencies of CD3+ and CD3+ CD4+ T cells are increased in PFCs. Large amounts of Th1 cytokines are detected,which are produced by CD3+ CD4+ T cells,and might play important roles against TB infection.