BACKGROUND: @entity14316 ( @entity14316 ), caused by Mycobacterium ( @entity7663 , is the third most common @entity66 after @entity378 and @entity1201 . @entity14316 causes @entity272 and is a significant problem for health care in the affected countries. As for other @entity281 , T cell mediated immune responses are important for protection and recovery during treatment, but detailed studies investigating these immune responses in @entity14316 @entity1 are scarce. In this study, we aimed to characterise @entity7663 -specific @entity404 + T cell responses in @entity14316 @entity1 and to analyse specific cytokine-producing T cells in the context of disease severity and progression. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: For this case-control study, whole blood samples of @entity14316 @entity1 (N = 36, 1.5-17 years of age) and healthy contacts (N = 22, 3-15 years of age) were stimulated with antigen prepared from @entity7663 and @entity404 + T cells were analysed for the expression of @entity310 , IFNy and @entity11603 by flow cytometry. The proportions and profile of cytokine producing @entity404 + T cells was compared between the two study groups and correlated with disease progression and severity. Proportions of cytokine double-positive IFNy+ @entity310 +, @entity310 + @entity11603 +, IFNy+ @entity11603 + (p = 0.014, p = 0.010, p = 0.002, respectively) and triple positive IFNy+ @entity310 + @entity11603 + (p = 0.010) producing @entity404 + T cell subsets were increased in @entity14316 @entity1 . In addition, @entity310 + @entity11603 -IFNy- @entity404 + T cells differed between @entity1 and controls (p = 0.034). @entity310 + @entity11603 -IFNy- @entity404 + T cells were correlated with lesion size (p = 0.010) and proportion were higher in 'slow' healers compared to 'fast healers' (p = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: We were able to identify @entity7663 -specific @entity404 + T cell subsets with specific cytokine profiles. In particular a @entity404 + T cell subset, producing @entity310 but not IFNy and @entity11603 , showed association with lesion size and healing progress. Further studies are required to investigate, if the identified @entity404 + T cell subset has the potential to be used as biomarker for diagnosis, severity and/or progression of disease.

Analysis of XXXX -specific T-cell cytokines for diagnosis of @entity14316 and as potential indicator for disease progression.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity14316 :: ('MESH:D054312', 'Disease') :: ['Buruli ulcer disease', 'BUD'] @entity404 :: ('920', 'Gene') :: ['CD4'] @entity66 :: ('MESH:D004194', 'Disease') :: ['mycobacterial disease'] @entity310 :: ('7124', 'Gene') :: ['TNFa'] @entity11603 :: ('959', 'Gene') :: ['CD40L'] @entity281 :: ('MESH:D007239', 'Disease') :: ['mycobacterial infections'] @entity272 :: ('MESH:D012871', 'Disease') :: ['necrotic skin lesions'] @entity378 :: ('MESH:D014376', 'Disease') :: ['tuberculosis'] @entity7663 :: ('1809', 'Species') :: ['M. ulcerans', 'M.) ulcerans'] @entity1201 :: ('MESH:D007918', 'Disease') :: ['leprosy']
@entity7663 :: (1809,Species) :: ['Mycobacterium ulcerans']
