Patent ID: 7579141
Filing Date: 2009-08-25
Classification: A61K,A61P,C07K,G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of in vitro diagnosis which discriminates between exposure of a subject to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and vaccination with the Bacille Calmette Guerin strain of Mycobacterium bovis , the method comprising testing for the presence of CD4 T lymphocytes that respond to MTBN4, wherein the presence of the CD4 T lymphocytes that respond to MTBN4 indicates that the subject has been exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis , and wherein CD4 T lymphocytes from a subject vaccinated with the Bacille Calmette Guerin strain of Mycobacterium bovis but not exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis do not respond.