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Reduced Natural Killer Cell Activity in Multi‐Drug Resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Author(s) -
RATCLIFFE L. T.,
MACKENZIE C. R.,
LUKEY P. T.,
RESS S. R.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1992.tb01643.x
Subject(s) - tuberculosis , pulmonary tuberculosis , drug , medicine , immunology , drug resistance , pharmacology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology
Cellular immune status in five patients with multi‐drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis was investigated and compared with five matched controls with non‐resistant tuberculosis. A significant reduction in fresh natural killer (NK)‐cell activity was found in the resistant group ( P < 0.005). There were no significant differences between the two groups in lymphocyte phenotype, proliferation or PPD‐specific cytotoxicity. Reduced NK‐cell function may play a role in the pathogenesis of multi‐drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis.