TUBERCULOSIS VACCINE

摘要

Diagnostic methods capable of discriminating between cell mediated immunologic responses due to on the one hand active tuberculosis caused by bacteria belonging to the tuberculosis complex (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium africanum and Mycobacterium bovis) and on the other hand vaccination with an immunogenic agent conferring immunity to tuberculosis. A diagnostic kit is also provided, comprising a polypeptide (e.g. MPT64) capable of eliciting a delayed type hypersensitivity reaction (Dth) in animals with active tuberculosis, but not in animals vaccinated against TB with an immunogenic agent (e.g. M. bovis BCG strain: Danish 1331). Vaccination with certain BCG strains is thus possible without interfering with the diagnosis of active tuberculosis. Also provided are polypeptide fragments comprising a T-cell epitope of MPT64 as well as nucleic acid fragments encoding these polypeptide fragments.