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Abstract

An in-vitro process for the quick determination of the infection status of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection from whole blood in terms of active or latent tuberculosis, comprising the steps of:

stimulating an antigen-specific T cell that is present in a first sample of whole blood with purified protein derivative (PPD) in the presence of antibodies against CD28, or CD28 and CD49d;processing of PPD by antigen-presenting cells (APC) by incubating for 1.5 h to 2.5 h, especially for 2 h, at 35° C. to 39° C., especially at 37° C., optionally with adding CO2; then adding a secretion inhibitor;effecting an intensive mixing; andanother incubation for a period of at least 2.5 h at a temperature of from 35° C. to 39° C., and determining a cytokine profile from both the intracellular INF-γ production and the intracellular IL-2 production of the antigen-specific T cell; whereinthe presence of an active tuberculosis is indicated by a shift of the cytokine profile towards IFN-single positive cells accompanied by a decrease of IFN-γ/IL-2 double positive T cells.

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