Estimation of cord factor antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in pleural fluid and its diagnostic significance

摘要

In this study, a sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to measure the concentration of cord factor (CF) antigen of?M. tuberculosis?in the pleural fluids of 42 patients with tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE). The assay was also simultaneously performed in 43 pleural fluid specimens with malignant pleural effusion (MPE). The assay detected CF antigen in 83.3% in patients with TPE effusion in whom?M. tuberculosis?was not demonstrated in pleural fluid specimens by bacteriological methods. The data also indicated that cord factor antigen was not present in significant titres in any one of the 43 pleural fluids of patients with MPE. It is concluded that estimation of cord factor of?M. tuberculosis?in pleural fluid specimens by the sandwich ELISA as developed in this study will support the diagnosis of tuberculous aetiology in pleural fluids, particularly in those patients in whom?M. tuberculosis?was not demonstrated by bacteriological methods.