An overview of the role of T cells in controlling tuberculosis infection in a pediatric population

Abstract

The most significant immunological studies of tuberculosis (TB) infection have involved adult patients. Few studies about the immune repertoire have been conducted in children. The purpose of this paper is to focus on cellular immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis by reviewing our studies conducted on children with different forms of TB infection between 1998 and 2006. Although the gold standard of TB diagnosis remains isolation of TB bacillus that also allows estimation of pattern of resistance of M. tuberculosis, the study of immune response can be useful for the early diagnosis and therapeutic follow-up of pediatric TB.

Keywords

Immune response - tuberculosis - children