Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific cytokine biomarkers to differentiate active TB and LTBI: A systematic review

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: New tests are needed to overcome the limitations of existing immunodiagnostic tests for tuberculosis (TB) infection, including their inability to differentiate between active TB and latent TB infection (LTBI). This review aimed to identify the most promising cytokine biomarkers for use as stage-specific markers of TB infection. METHODS: A systematic review was done using electronic databases to identify studies that have investigated Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-specific cytokine responses as diagnostic tools to differentiate between LTBI and active TB. RESULTS: The 56 studies included in this systematic review measured the MTB-specific responses of 100 cytokines, the most fr..