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. 2010 Aug 24;5(8):e12365. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0012365

Figure 4. Flow chart demonstrating how cytokine production following TB10.4 stimulation will improve diagnosis of active TB.

Figure 4

At the moment, patients with suspected TB may be confirmed by analysis of chest x-ray (CXR) plus sputum culture positivity in laboratories which have these capabilities. Analysis of TNF-α, IL-12(p40) and IL-17 production following TB10.4 stimulation should enhance classification into active disease or latent infection in laboratories without culture facilities and also for patients with suspected TB but smear/culture negative results (such as HIV-positive patients or extrapulmonary TB patients). These findings should be further validated in a short-term assay and in difficult to diagnose patient groups.