Browsing by Author "Menezes, Angela"
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- ItemDifferential expression of host biomarkers in saliva and serum samples from individuals with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis(Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2013-09) Phalane, Khutso G.; Kriel, Magdalena; Loxton, Andre G.; Menezes, Angela; Stanley, Kim; Van der Spuy, Gian D.; Walzl, Gerhard; Chegou, Novel N.The diagnosis of tuberculosis remains challenging in individuals with difficulty in providing good quality sputum samples such as children. Host biosignatures of inflammatory markers may be valuable in such cases, especially if they are based on more easily obtainable samples such as saliva. To explore the potential of saliva as an alternative sample in tuberculosis diagnostic/biomarker investigations, we evaluated the levels of 33 hostmarkers in saliva samples fromindividuals presenting with pulmonary tuberculosis symptoms and compared them to those obtained in serum. Of the 38 individuals included in the study, tuberculosis disease was confirmed in 11 (28.9%) by sputum culture. In both the tuberculosis cases and noncases, the levels of most markers were above the minimum detectable limit in both sample types, but there was no consistent pattern regarding the ratio ofmarkers in serum/saliva. Fractalkine, IL-17, IL-6, IL-9, MIP-1𝛽�, CRP, VEGF, and IL-5 levels in saliva and IL-6, IL-2, SAP, and SAA levels in serum were significantly higher in tuberculosis patients (𝑃� < 0.05). These preliminary data indicate that there are significant differences in the levels of host markers expressed in saliva in comparison to those expressed in serumand that inflammatory markers in both sample types are potential diagnostic candidates for tuberculosis disease.
- ItemRisk factors associated with positive quantiFERON-TB gold in-tube and tuberculin skin tests results in Zambia and South Africa(Public Library of Science (PLOS), 2011-04) Shanaube, Kwame; Hargreaves, James; Fielding, Katherine; Schaap, Ab; Lawrence, Katherine-Anne; Hensen, Bernadette; Sismanidis, Charalambos; Menezes, Angela; Beyers, Nulda; Ayles, Helen; Godfrey-Faussett, PeterIntroduction: The utility of T-cell based interferon-gamma release assays for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection remains unclear in settings with a high burden of tuberculosis. Objectives: To determine risk factors associated with positive QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) and tuberculin skin test (TST) results and the level of agreement between the tests; to explore the hypotheses that positivity in QFT-GIT is more related to recent infection and less affected by HIV than the TST. Methods: Adult household contacts of tuberculosis patients were invited to participate in a cross-sectional study across 24 communities in Zambia and South Africa. HIV, QFT-GIT and TST tests were done. A questionnaire was used to assess risk factors. Results: A total of 2,220 contacts were seen. 1,803 individuals had interpretable results for both tests, 1,147 (63.6%) were QFT-GIT positive while 725 (40.2%) were TST positive. Agreement between the tests was low (kappa = 0.24). QFT-GIT and TST results were associated with increasing age (adjusted OR [aOR] for each 10 year increase for QFT-GIT 1.15; 95% CI: 1.06-1.25, and for TST aOR: 1.10; 95% CI 1.01-1.20). HIV positivity was less common among those with positive results on QFT-GIT (aOR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.39-0.67) and TST (aOR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.46-0.82). Smear positivity of the index case was associated with QFT-GIT (aOR: 1.25; 95% CI: 0.90-1.74) and TST (aOR: 1.39; 95% CI: 0.98-1.98) results. We found little evidence in our data to support our hypotheses. Conclusion: QFT-GIT may not be more sensitive than the TST to detect risk factors associated with tuberculous infection. We found little evidence to support the hypotheses that positivity in QFT-GIT is more related to recent infection and less affected by HIV than the TST. © 2011 Shanaube et al.