AUTHOR=Gutierrez Jesús , Kroon Elouise E. , Möller Marlo , Stein Catherine M. 

TITLE=Phenotype Definition for “Resisters” to Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in the Literature—A Review and Recommendations

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.619988

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2021.619988

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>Tuberculosis (TB) remains a worldwide problem. Despite the high disease rate, not all who are infected with <italic>Mycobacterium Tuberculosis</italic> (<italic>Mtb</italic>) develop disease. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) specific T cell immune assays such as Quantiferon and Elispot, as well as a skin hypersensitivity test, known as a tuberculin skin test, are widely used to infer infection. These assays measure immune conversion in response to <italic>Mtb</italic>. Some individuals measure persistently negative to immune conversion, despite high and prolonged exposure to <italic>Mtb</italic>. Increasing interest into this phenotype has led to multiple publications describing various aspects of these responses. However, there is a lack of a unified “resister” definition. A universal definition will improve cross study data comparisons and assist with future study design and planning. We review the current literature describing this phenotype and make recommendations for future studies.</p>